NASA Astronaut Suni Williams Conducts Spacewalk After 7-Month Delay

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA astronaut Suni Williams, one of two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024, ventured outside for a spacewalk on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. It was her first spacewalk since arriving at the ISS seven months ago, marking a significant milestone in her extended mission.

Williams, alongside fellow astronaut Nick Hague, conducted critical maintenance tasks during the six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk. Their work included repairing equipment that governs the station’s orientation, patching light filters on the NICER X-ray telescope, and replacing a reflector device on an international docking adapter. The duo also inspected access areas and connector tools for future maintenance on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a particle physics experiment module mounted on the ISS.

Williams, an experienced astronaut with multiple spacewalks under her belt, is scheduled for a second spacewalk on Jan. 23 with Butch Wilmore. Together, they will remove a radio frequency group antenna assembly, collect surface samples for microorganism analysis, and prepare a backup elbow joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

The astronauts’ return to Earth has been delayed due to technical issues with Boeing‘s Starliner spacecraft, which brought them to the ISS. Originally planned as a week-long mission, their stay has been extended to late March or early April 2025. NASA has since arranged for their return aboard a SpaceX capsule.

Nicole McElroy, a NASA Flight Director, expressed confidence in the crew’s preparedness during a press briefing. “The road to our preparations for all of these EVAs (extra-vehicular activity) has been going well,” she said. “The crew on board has been studying their procedures, getting familiar with all of the tasks, and are really excited and looking forward to going out the door.”

Despite the setbacks, Williams and Wilmore have continued their work aboard the ISS, contributing to ongoing research and maintenance. NASA is providing live coverage of the spacewalks, offering the public a glimpse into the astronauts’ efforts to keep the ISS operational.