Jhulasan Celebrates Sunita Williams’ Return: “A Proud Moment for India”

“She Was Never Stuck, She Was Committed” – Williams’ Crew Rejects Stranded Narrative

Hometown of NASA Astronaut Offers Prayers as Crew-9 Returns to Earth

---

🔹 Joyous Celebrations in Sunita Williams’ Native Village

As NASA astronaut Sunita Williams safely returned to Earth after nearly nine months in space, her native village of Jhulasan, Gujarat, erupted in celebrations. Residents performed aarti and prayers, expressing gratitude for her successful homecoming.

🔹 “We are proud of her achievements,” said a villager.
🔹 Williams’ cousin, Dinesh Rawal, organized a Yagna in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, praying for her safe return.

The festivities followed the successful splashdown of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which brought back Williams, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

---

🔹 “Grinning Ear to Ear”: Crew’s First Reaction Post-Landing

Following the splashdown, NASA astronaut Nick Hague delivered his first message to mission control:

🗣️ “We’re grinning ear to ear!”

🔹 SpaceX confirmed the landing, posting on X:
“Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, Nick, Suni, Butch, and Aleks!”

🔹 NASA commentator Sandra Jones described the moment:
“There’s just breathtaking views of a calm, glass-like ocean.”

Rescue ships operated by SpaceX were on standby to retrieve the spacecraft, using a rig to lift the capsule onto the “Dragon’s Nest” for post-mission procedures.

---

🔹 The Crew Refutes ‘Stranded’ Narrative

🚀 Williams and Wilmore’s extended space stay had sparked speculation, with media reports claiming the astronauts were “stranded” in space.

🗣️ Wilmore firmly rejected the narrative, saying:
“That’s been the narrative from day one: stranded, abandoned, stuck—and I get it. But help us change the narrative. Let’s change it to: prepared and committed, despite what you’ve been hearing.”

NASA has confirmed that Williams and Wilmore will now undergo medical evaluations at Johnson Space Center in Houston, before gradually re-acclimating to Earth’s gravity.

---

🔹 What’s Next?

🔍 Key Developments to Watch:
✔️ Post-mission health assessments at NASA’s Johnson Space Center
✔️ Future SpaceX collaborations for deep-space missions
✔️ Sunita Williams’ next assignment—will she return for another mission?

As India celebrates the success of its space icons, Williams’ safe return is yet another testament to human endurance and commitment to space exploration.