Sunita Williams Sets Record as Astronauts Complete 5.5-Hour Spacewalk

Photo: Instagram/@astronaut.sunitalycwilliams.fc

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams made history on Thursday, January 30, 2025, when she surpassed the previous record for the most time spent in spacewalking by a woman. Williams spent 62 hours and 6 minutes outside the International Space Station (ISS), breaking the old record of 60 hours and 21 minutes, set by former astronaut Peggy Whitson.

This achievement came during a five-and-a-half-hour spacewalk with her colleague Butch Wilmore. The duo was assigned to repair a broken antenna on the ISS and check the station’s exterior for any signs of microbes that may have survived the journey through space. Despite facing some challenges with the stubborn antenna, they were able to remove it after about four hours of effort. Mission Control kept a close watch on the situation, advising them to be cautious of any parts that might float away after the antenna was removed.

This spacewalk marked Sunita Williams’ ninth, while Peggy Whitson still holds the record for the most spacewalks by a woman, with a total of 10. Although Whitson continues to hold that record, Williams is now the leader when it comes to total time spent in spacewalking. NASA officials celebrated the milestone, announcing it live and saying that Williams' record continues to grow with each new mission.

Williams and Wilmore are part of NASA's Boeing Starliner crew, which launched on June 5, 2024. Originally, they were only expected to stay in space for a week. However, their spacecraft encountered serious technical issues, causing delays. As a result, their mission was extended to 10 months. The delay also meant that they had to wait for SpaceX to launch their replacements. Despite the extended stay, both astronauts have said they are enjoying their time in space, with Sunita Williams describing it as her "happy place."

Before this mission, Williams had already spent a total of 322 days in space. With her latest mission and more time expected, she is set to surpass NASA astronaut Jeff Williams' total of 534 days in space. Sunita is on track to soon hold the second-place record for most time spent in space by a U.S. astronaut, just behind Peggy Whitson.

The spacewalk on Thursday was Butch Wilmore’s fifth, bringing his total spacewalking time to 31 hours and 2 minutes. For both astronauts, this was a significant event, as it marked their first spacewalk together. While the situation with their extended mission caused some to call them "stuck" astronauts, both Sunita and Butch have laughed off those claims, saying they are happy and making the most of their time in space.

This spacewalk was just one of the many missions astronauts have completed at the ISS. Since December 1998, there have been a total of 274 spacewalks. Sunita Williams’ achievements in space continue to inspire future generations, showing that dedication, patience, and teamwork can lead to amazing milestones.

#trending #latest #SunitaWilliams #SpacewalkRecord #NASA #WomenInSpace #PeggyWhitson #ISS #SpaceExploration #AstronautLife #BoeingStarliner #SpaceMission #ButchWilmore #HistoryInSpace #EVA #NASARecords #SpaceAdventure #SpaceTech #JeffWilliams #SpaceWalk #SpaceStation #SpaceScience #AstronautMilestones #breakingnews #trendingnews #DXBIndiaNews #BreakingNewsIndia #IndiaUpdates #GlobalIndiaNews #TrendingInIndia #DXBTrending #IndiaHeadlines #TopStoriesIndia #MiddleEastMeetsIndia #ViralIndiaNews #SouthAsiaNews #AllIndianews #breakingsportsnews #breakingPoliticalnews #breakingFinancenews #breakingregionalnews #Entertainmentnews #Educationnews #technologynews #DXBIndia

Keerthy Suresh stuns in a multicolored lehenga at her pre-wedding festivities... Read More.

Provide the Best Care for Your Pets for Long-Lasting Health... Read More.