Andhra CM applauds Sunita Williams’ resilience after safe return from extended space mission

Amaravati, Mar 19 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday applauded Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ resilience and congratulated her on her safe return to Earth after an extended space mission.

NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth on Tuesday.

“Glad to see astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore return safely to earth. Their journey back shows exemplary human determination and teamwork,” Naidu stated in a post on ‘X’.

Naidu further applauded everyone who made it possible and saluted the astronauts for their strength and perseverance, wishing them good health.

Williams and Wilmore initially launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, 2024, for what was supposed to be an eight-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). However, technical issues with the spacecraft’s thrusters extended their mission to over nine months.

Their return aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon marks the end of a prolonged yet significant mission that provided valuable insights into extended human spaceflight.