New Delhi:
Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ family today said they were “happy” that she has returned to Earth safely after an unexpected nine-month stay in space.
“That moment was surreal,” Falguni Pandya, her sister-in-law, told NDTV, referring to the SpaceX Dragon spaceship, which brought back Ms Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore, making a soft splashdown off Florida’s coast this morning.
Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, Nick, Suni, Butch, and Aleks! pic.twitter.com/M4RZ6UYsQ2
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 18, 2025
Ms Pandya also confirmed that Ms Williams will soon visit India.
“We don’t have exact dates, but she’s definitely going to come to India soon. I hope this year,” she said.
She said India is her father’s ancestral land, referring to Deepak Pandya, who was a resident of Gujarat, and that she’s “very connected” to the country.
“She feels the love from India and Indians, and I know she will come back. It’s just a matter of timing, schedule and logistics,” Ms Pandya said.
Speaking about the NASA astronaut returning home after 286 days in space, she said, “We are also planning on going on vacation together. There is going to be a lot of family time.”
Asked if Ms Williams would go to space again or be the first person to land on Mars, Ms Pandya said it would be “her choice”.
Speaking about Ms Williams’ extended stay at the space station, Ms Pandya said the 59-year-old astronaut “makes the best” of every situation she is in.
“She is a role model for all of us,” she said.
She also said that she had sent a popular Indian sweet, Kaju Katli, to Sunita Williams on her birthday. The astronaut had marked her 59th birthday in space on September 19.
Ms Pandya also said that Ms Williams had asked her for pictures when she told her that she was visiting the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.
“She was very excited. She told me to tell her everything about it,” she said.
Ms Pandya, who spoke to NDTV from a temple after Ms Williams headed home, also expressed her gratitude to God for making “everything work well”.
Sunita Williams’ Unexpected Stay At Space Station
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, 62, undocked from the ISS at 10:35 am IST yesterday to begin a 17-hour trip back to Earth.
They had flown to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5 last year, on what was supposed to be a days-long roundtrip to test out Boeing’s Starliner on its first crewed flight. However, the spaceship developed propulsion problems and was deemed unfit to fly back and instead returned uncrewed.
The two astronauts were then reassigned to the NASA-SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which saw a Dragon spacecraft fly to the ISS in September last year with a team of two — American astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov — rather than the usual four, to make room for the stranded astronauts.
On Sunday, a relief team — Crew-10 — docked with the space station to make the way for Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore’s much-awaited homecoming, along with Mr Hague and Mr Gorbunov.
PM Modi Invites Sunita Williams To India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also written to Sunita Williams and said he looked forward to seeing her in India.
In a letter dated March 1, which was shared by Union Minister Jitendra Singh on X yesterday, the Prime Minister said he had inquired about the well-being of Ms Williams when he met President Donald Trump and his predecessor, Joe Biden, during his visits to the US.
The letter was made public hours after Ms Williams and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, undocked from the ISS for a 17-hour trip back home.
PM Modi recalled that at a meeting with former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino in Delhi this month, her name had come up in their conversation.
“We discussed how proud we are of you and your work. Following this interaction, I could not stop myself from writing to you,” PM Modi said.
“1.4 billion Indians have always taken great pride in your achievements. Recent developments have yet again showcased your inspirational fortitude and perseverance,” he wrote.
As the whole world waits, with abated breath, for the safe return of Sunita Williams, this is how PM Sh @narendramodi expressed his concern for this daughter of India.
“Even though you are thousands of miles away, you remain close to our hearts,” says PM Sh Narendra Modi’s… pic.twitter.com/MpsEyxAOU9— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) March 18, 2025
He said her mother, Bonnie Pandya, must be “keenly” awaiting her return.
“I am sure that Late Deepak Bhai’s blessings are with you as well,” the Prime Minister said referring to her father, Deepak Pandya, who died in 2020.
PM Modi also said he “fondly” remembers meeting him and her during his visit to the US in 2016.
In the presence of astronaut Sunita Williams and Kalpana Chawla’s family pic.twitter.com/sPJbrQxdPU
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) June 6, 2016
“Even though you are thousands of miles away, you continue to remain close to our hearts. The people of India are praying for your good health and success in your mission,” PM Modi told the 59-year-old astronaut.
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“After your return, we are looking forward to seeing you in India. It will be a pleasure for India to host one of its most illustrious daughters,” he added.
He also sent his “warm regards” to her husband, Michael Williams.