New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday welcomed NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her fellow Crew-9 members as they returned to Earth after a prolonged mission to the International Space Station, saying their unwavering determination will forever inspire millions.

"Welcome back, Crew9! The Earth missed you," Modi said in a post on X.

NASA astronauts Williams, Nick Hague and Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth early Wednesday onboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which splashed down in the sea off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida.

For Williams and Wilmore, test pilots for Boeing's new Starliner capsule, an eight-day mission stretched to more than nine months as a series of helium leaks and thruster failures deemed their spacecraft unsafe. The spacecraft returned without them in September.

"Theirs has been a test of grit, courage and the boundless human spirit. Sunita Williams and the #Crew9 astronauts have once again shown us what perseverance truly means. Their unwavering determination in the face of the vast unknown will forever inspire millions," Modi said.

He said space exploration is about pushing the limits of human potential, daring to dream and having the courage to turn those dreams into reality.

"Sunita Williams, a trailblazer and an icon, has exemplified this spirit throughout her career," the prime minister said.

"We are incredibly proud of all those who worked tirelessly to ensure their safe return. They have demonstrated what happens when precision meets passion and technology meets tenacity," Modi said.