Stranded NASA astronaut gets change of pace with spacewalk, after 7 months in orbit
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Nick Hague embarked on a much-anticipated spacewalk on Thursday, marking Williams’ first spacewalk since her arrival at the International Space Station over seven months ago. The duo tackled outdoor repair work as the orbiting lab soared 420 kilometers above Turkmenistan.
Williams, the station’s commander, took on the task of replacing a planar reflector on the outside of the space station. She also had the opportunity to closely inspect the SpaceX capsule that will transport her back to Earth this spring. Despite the intricate nature of the repair work, Williams successfully completed the task without causing any damage to the spacecraft.
The spacewalk was particularly significant as it was the first one conducted by NASA astronauts since an aborted attempt last summer. U.S. spacewalks had been temporarily suspended due to a water leak issue in the airlock, which has since been resolved. This spacewalk marked Williams’ eighth venture outside the space station and Hague’s fourth.
During the spacewalk, Hague and Williams were also scheduled to replace station hardware and repair the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) C-ray telescope. The repair process included placing wedge-shaped patches on the telescope to minimize interference from sunlight during X-ray measurements.
The spacewalk commenced at 8 a.m. ET and was expected to last approximately 6½ hours, making it the 273rd spacewalk dedicated to ISS maintenance. The successful completion of the repair work signifies a significant milestone for the astronauts and NASA’s ongoing efforts to maintain the functionality of the space station.
Despite facing delays in their return journey to Earth, Williams and Hague remained focused on their mission and demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication during the spacewalk. Their resilience and commitment to scientific exploration in the vast expanse of space serve as a testament to the ingenuity and perseverance of human spaceflight missions.
