Thiruvananthapuram, March 19
Hours after Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth on Tuesday, March 18, following an unplanned extended stay on the International Space Station (ISS), the Kerala Assembly applauded their efforts.

Leading the praise was Speaker A.M. Shamseer, who read out a congratulatory note after Question Hour.

"The return of Sunita after a nine-month-long sojourn speaks of her determination, boldness, and commitment. This successful mission brings cheer to our country as well," Shamseer said.

"Her success is a victory for women around the world and serves as an inspiration to our women and youth. It proves that dreams have no upper limits," he added.

Shamseer also acknowledged the contributions of Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Aleksandr Gorbunov.

As he concluded the message, the entire 140-member Assembly applauded in unison, clapping their hands and thumping their desks.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying Williams and her crewmates splashed down off the coast of Florida just before 6 p.m. local time, as announced by NASA. The capsule was then transported to the recovery ship, where Nick Hague became the first to exit nearly 50 minutes after splashdown. Williams emerged third.

Sunita Williams and Wilmore had departed for the ISS on June 6, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner, intending to stay for eight days. However, a malfunction in the spacecraft delayed their return, extending their stay to 287 days.

This was Williams’ third mission to the ISS. The station orbits Earth at an altitude of approximately 254 miles (406.4 km) and a speed of 4.76 miles per second.

A collaborative effort by the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, and Europe, the ISS was launched on November 20, 1998.

Dreams have no upper limits: Kerala Speaker congratulates Sunita Williams