Sunita Williams breaks spacewalking record during 92nd US Spacewalk

Washington, DC: NASA astronaut Sunita 'Suni' Williams achieved a remarkable milestone by breaking the record for total spacewalking time, previously held by former astronaut Peggy Whitson on Thursday. Williams surpassed Whitson’s record of 60 hours and 21 minutes while conducting a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS).

The ISS shared the news on X, stating, "NASA astronaut Suni Williams just surpassed former astronaut Peggy Whitson's total spacewalking time today. Suni is still outside in the vacuum of space removing radio communications hardware." The spacewalk was part of Expedition 72 and began at approximately 8 am EST. NASA streamed the event live on YouTube and their official website, marking the 92nd US spacewalk.

During the spacewalk, Williams was tasked with maintaining the ISS hardware and collecting surface material samples for analysis. She was joined by astronaut Butch Wilmore, who was on his fifth spacewalk. Williams, wearing the suit with red stripes, and Wilmore, in an unmarked suit, worked together for about six and a half hours outside the station.

Williams’ spacewalk was part of the ongoing Expedition 72, which started on September 23, 2024. This milestone comes amid controversy stirred by SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s comments about the delayed return of two astronauts, including Williams and Wilmore, aboard the ISS since June 2024. Due to technical delays with their Boeing Starliner capsule, their return was postponed, prompting Musk to criticize the Biden administration for leaving them in space.

Former President Donald Trump also weighed in, calling for Musk to retrieve the astronauts, but the characterization of the astronauts as "stranded" was disputed. While their return was delayed, both astronauts were never in danger and could have returned to Earth at any time on a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. They are now scheduled to return with Crew 9 at the end of March 2025, completing nearly 300 days in space.

The extended stay was necessary to complete the mission's objectives and ensure the ISS continues its operations without disruptions. Despite the controversy surrounding the delay, Wilmore and Williams remain committed to their mission, with their planned return still months away.
ANI