NASA astronaut Sunny Williams, one of two astronauts stuck aboard the International Space Station, stepped out on Thursday for her first spacewalk since arriving aboard seven months ago.
Ms Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore were due to return to Earth after a week-long mission in June 2024, but a technical issue has delayed their return.
Now they won’t be back until late March or possibly April.
Ms Williams – a veteran astronaut who has carried out several spacewalks during previous stays on the ISS – performed maintenance on the craft alongside astronaut Nick Hague on Thursday.
Their tasks include repairing equipment that controls the station’s orientation, patch light filters on the NICER X-ray telescope, and replacing the reflector device on the International Docking Adapter.
Additionally, the pair will test access areas and connector tools that will be used for future maintenance work on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, the particle physics experiment module aboard the ISS.
Ms Williams will make her second spacewalk with Mr Wilmore on January 23.
Together, they will remove a radio-frequency group antenna assembly (a collection of components designed to transmit and receive radio waves) and collect surface samples for microorganism analysis.
They will also produce a backup elbow joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm, keeping the joint in perfect alignment for quick replacement if needed.
Each spacewalk is expected to last about six and a half hours.
NASA is providing live coverage of both spacewalks that can be viewed. Here.
Getty Images“Our preparations for all these EVAs (non-vehicular activities) are going well,” NASA flight director Nicole McElroy said in a press briefing before the spacewalk.
“The crew on board are studying their procedures, getting familiar with all the operations, and are really excited and looking forward to getting out the door.”
Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore flew to the ISS on an eight-day mission in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner.
However, technical problems including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions meant that the Starliner was unsafe for their return.
Despite these setbacks, the astronauts have continued their work on the ISS while awaiting a safe journey home.