New Delhi, March 19 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday penned down a heartfelt note after Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams returned to earth after spending 286 days at the International Space Station.

Taking to X, PM Modi welcomed Crew 9 back, which carried Sunita Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore aboard a SpaceX capsule.

"Welcome back, #Crew9! The Earth missed you. 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," he wrote.

Calling Williams a 'trailblazer', he said she had exemplified the spirit...