Two NASA astronauts, who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly eight months, carried out their first spacewalk together on Thursday.
Commander Suni Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore ventured outside the ISS to remove a malfunctioning antenna and inspect the station’s exterior for any microorganisms that may have survived their journey from Earth through ventilation systems.
The operation initially faced challenges as the astronauts struggled to unscrew the antenna. However, they eventually succeeded in detaching it, with Mission Control advising them to remain alert for any floating debris resulting from the removal process. Notably, Commander Williams set a new spacewalk record for female astronauts during the mission.
NASA shared updates on the spacewalk via social media, announcing, "Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are taking a spacewalk. It should last about 6.5 hours."
The duo originally planned for a short stay upon their arrival at the ISS in June last year. However, their return was delayed due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which was meant to bring them back to Earth. Due to the spacecraft’s persistent problems, NASA decided to return it without passengers.
As a result, Williams and Wilmore, both retired Navy captains and test pilots, have had to extend their mission until SpaceX can facilitate their return. Their departure is now scheduled for late March or early April, as SpaceX prepares to send their replacements to the station.
In a recent post on the social platform X (formerly Twitter), entrepreneur Elon Musk stated that former U.S. President Donald Trump had urged SpaceX to expedite the astronauts' return. However, SpaceX remains on track to bring them back by the end of March, alongside two other astronauts currently aboard the ISS.
Earlier this month, Williams completed a spacewalk with another NASA astronaut, marking her ninth career spacewalk. This achievement makes her the female astronaut with the most time spent conducting spacewalks, surpassing the previous record held by retired astronaut Peggy Whitson.
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