NASA astronaut and Indian-origin commander, Sunita Williams, on Thursday stepped out on her first spacewalk in more than seven months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Williams and fellow astronaut Nick Hague made necessary repairs as the station orbited 260 miles from Turkmenistan.
“I’m coming out,” Williams radioed as she exited the airlock, marking a milestone in her mission that began last June.
Mission issues and delays
Williams and his colleague Butch Wilmore originally put Boeing in a Starliner capsule on a test flight expected to last a week. But technical issues extended their stay on the ISS, and NASA chose to return the Starliner to Earth without its crew.
Because SpaceX again delayed the launch of the replacement, Williams and Wilmore returned to Earth in late March or early April, extending their mission for about ten months.
Resuming spacewalks after safety pause
It’s NASA’s first spacewalk since it was suspended last summer because of a leak from the cooling loop of the astronaut’s suit into the air bag. The issue has since been resolved, allowing the astronauts to resume vital activities beyond riding.
Experienced astronaut on a critical mission
This was Williams’ eighth spacewalk, and it showcased her wealth of experience in space exploration. Her work with Nick Hague highlighted NASA’s focus on ensuring the ISS’s performance in the face of unexpected challenges.
Williams is expected to undertake another spacewalk next week with Wilmore to complete the pending repairs.
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