NASA delays Sunita Williams's record-setting spacewalk to January 30
What's the story
NASA has delayed astronaut Sunita Williams's second spacewalk, originally planned for Thursday. The spacewalk, technically referred to as extravehicular activity (EVA), will now take place on January 30 at 6:30pm IST.
Williams, an Indian-origin astronaut with extensive space experience, was scheduled to perform the spacewalk with fellow astronaut Barry Wilmore to complete vital maintenance tasks.
However, according to NASA's blog, the focus shifted to robotics, Earth observation, and piloting studies, highlighting the station's ongoing operational needs.
Previous EVA
Williams's recent spacewalk and its significance
This delay follows Williams's successful completion of a notable six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk, dubbed US Spacewalk 91, earlier this month—her first in 12 years and eighth overall.
During that EVA, she and astronaut Nick Hague accomplished several key maintenance tasks, such as repairing equipment responsible for the station's orientation and servicing the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) X-ray telescope.
Her next spacewalk, with Wilmore, includes tasks such as removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly and searching for microbes on ISS.
Extended mission
Extended stay in space
Williams and Wilmore have been on the ISS for almost seven months, after arriving on the Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
The spacecraft faced multiple technical issues during its flight, prompting NASA to opt for its unmanned return.
Initially scheduled for an eight-day mission, the astronauts' stay has now been extended until March 2025. This extension has given them more opportunities to contribute to space research and maintenance tasks.
EVA preparations
Preparations underway for the upcoming spacewalk
In anticipation of their next EVA, Williams and Wilmore have been reviewing procedures and servicing their spacesuit helmets inside the Quest airlock.
They also checked the fuel and power capacity of their Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) devices.
These are critical safety equipment that would enable a spacewalker to return to the station if they were to become untethered during an EVA.
Scenario
Williams to be the most experienced female spacewalker in history
Williams's upcoming spacewalk, her ninth overall, is expected to last about six hours and 30 minutes.
If completed successfully, she will become the most experienced female spacewalker in history.
Currently, Peggy Whitson holds the record for cumulative spacewalking hours by a female astronaut, with 10 spacewalks totaling 60 hours and 21 minutes.
Williams, after her recent spacewalk, has logged 56 hours and 40 minutes. With her ninth spacewalk, she is poised to surpass Whitson's record.