NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ safe return to Earth after nearly nine months in space was celebrated with joy in her ancestral village of Jhulasan, Gujarat. Residents performed aarti and offered prayers following the successful splashdown of the Dragon spacecraft, which brought Williams and her Crew-9 teammates — Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov — back to Earth. Her cousin, Dinesh Rawal, had earlier organized a ‘Yagna’ in Ahmedabad, praying for her safe return. Villagers held a special bhajan session led by the Mahila Mandal, expressing their gratitude for her well-being.
The celebrations also included fond recollections of Williams’ previous space missions. Dinesh Pandya, a local temple priest, recalled how Williams once carried a picture of Dola Mata with her to space and regularly visited the temple upon her return to India. SpaceX confirmed the successful landing, and NASA astronaut Nick Hague conveyed the crew’s happiness, describing their smiles upon touching down. NASA commentator Sandra Jones described the serene landing scene, noting the calm ocean as the capsule descended with the aid of parachutes, slowing to under 20 miles per hour.
Following the splashdown, the Crew-9 astronauts underwent initial medical assessments on the rescue ship and will continue to be monitored in the coming days. They are set to return to NASA’s facilities in Houston for further evaluations. Despite media speculation surrounding their prolonged stay, Williams and Wilmore dismissed claims of being “abandoned” or “stranded.” They emphasized their commitment and preparedness during the mission, urging for a change in the narrative to reflect their dedication and successful return.
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