Sunita Williams—stuck in orbit for 225 days—completes 6-hour-long spacewalk
What's the story
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has successfully completed her eighth spacewalk, bringing her total extravehicular activity (EVA) time to nearly 57 hours. The six-hour EVA was conducted on January 16 with fellow astronaut Nick Hague. The duo stepped outside the International Space Station (ISS) to conduct critical repairs and upgrades. The spacewalk began at 18:31 IST, with Williams and Hague quickly completing their primary objectives.
Repair details
Williams and Hague perform critical ISS repairs
Within the first hour of their spacewalk, Williams and Hague replaced the rate gyro assembly, a critical hardware that keeps track of the ISS's orientation. After installing the new assembly, Hague safely stowed the old unit back in the airlock. Ground control teams confirmed that the newly installed gyro was operational, paving the way for other tasks to be undertaken.
Telescope repair
Astronauts replace reflector, repair NICER X-ray telescope
Williams replaced a reflector on top of the Harmony module, which is essential for guiding incoming spacecraft. Meanwhile, Hague repaired the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) X-ray telescope. The NICER telescope had been malfunctioning since May 2023 as sunlight leaked through damaged thermal shields, interrupting its neutron star observations. Hague installed pie-shaped patches designed to block unwanted light, restoring the telescope's functionality.
Mission success
Astronauts complete tasks ahead of schedule
The pair also primed the area around the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer for future maintenance, finishing their scheduled tasks an hour early. Ground teams tasked them with additional objectives, including troubleshooting a stuck Articulating Portable Foot Restraint. The astronauts inspected and photographed the issue, ensuring no further complications for future missions. Despite a brief interruption in their helmet camera feeds, which was resolved by power cycling, they kept steady progress.
Return
Williams marks return to spacewalks after 12-year hiatus
This mission, dubbed US Spacewalk 91, is especially important for Sunita Williams as it was her first extravehicular activity in 12 years. It was her first spacewalk in more than seven months, a major milestone in her long stay aboard the ISS due to delays from Starliner's capsule issues and SpaceX's delay in launching their replacement crew. Now on her eighth spacewalk, Williams has spent a total of 56 hours and 40 minutes in EVA.
Upcoming mission
Williams and Hague to embark on another spacewalk
Williams and Hague will undertake another spacewalk on January 23, 2025, to continue ISS upgrades. NASA has not yet revealed the exact date for Williams and Wilmore's return to Earth. However, they won't be back until late March or possibly April due to a delay in launching their replacement crew.