Who had been stuck on the International Space Station for nine months, returned to Earth on Wednesday as the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft splashed down off the Florida coast.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore created history and left an inspiring legacy in space exploration.
“Astronauts @Astro_Suni and Butch Wilmore of @NASA make history by returning home after a remarkable 9-month stay at the International Space Station. Their extended mission, shaped by technical challenges, has left an inspiring legacy in space exploration. Wishing them good health and many more achievements ahead,” the CM said in his ‘X’ handle.
Williams’ sister Falguni Pandya thanked God for making her wish come true as the astronaut returned to Earth safely after spending nine months in space.
Falguni Pandya said, “I am very grateful to God and very happy for Sunita’s homecoming. It was a long wait. There was no nervousness. It was pure joy. I prayed and made a vow that after everything goes well, I will be at the temple and here I am.”
Upon her return, residents Williams’ ancestral village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district observed Diwali-like festivities on Wednesday morning. Jhulasan village, known as the ancestral home of Williams’ father, Deepak Pandya, is alive with excitement.
Williams’ father, Deepak Pandya, is from Jhulasan in Gujarat. He completed Intermediate Science (I.S) in 1953 from Gujarat University. He completed an internship and residency in Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.
Pandya joined Department of Anatomy at Case Western Reserve University as a postdoctoral fellow in 1964. He went on to work at various hospitals and research centres across the country.
In 1957, Pandya married Slovenian-American Ursuline Bonnie Zalokar when he arrived in the US. The two married shortly after.
Last month, Zalokar spoke publicly about her daughter’s extended stay at the ISS. In an interview with NewsNation.
“It’s what they do. They like doing this and they are honoured to be able to go up on a long mission like this and, you know, they feel great about it,” she said in the interview. “She’s doing what she loves. So how could I feel sad about it or anything? I’m happy for her.”
US President Donald Trump said NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams will visit the White House once they regain their strength.