NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on Thursday stepped out of the International Space Station (ISS) for a 5.5-hour spacewalk, setting a new record, the US space agency said.
This was Sunita Williams' ninth spacewalk and Wilmore's fifth.
Sunita Williams now also holds a record of 62 hours, 6 minutes of total spacewalk time, fourth on NASA's all-time list.
LIVE: @NASA_Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are taking a spacewalk to maintain @Space_Station hardware and collect samples. Today's spacewalk is scheduled to start at 8am ET (1300 UTC) and go for about 6.5 hours. https://t.co/6pvzcwPdgs
— NASA (@NASA) January 30, 2025
Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore completed their primary objectives, including removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station's truss and collecting samples of surface material for analysis from the Destiny laboratory and the Quest airlock, the US space agency said.
The ISS said on X: "NASA astronaut Suni Williams just surpassed former astronaut Peggy Whitson's total spacewalking time of 60 hours and 21 minutes today. Suni is still outside in the vacuum of space removing radio communications hardware."
NASA astronaut Suni WIlliams just surpassed former astronaut Peggy Whitson's total spacewalking time of 60 hours and 21 minutes today. Suni is still outside in the vacuum of space removing radio communications hardware. Watch now on @NASA+... https://t.co/OD43nAlf5m pic.twitter.com/N5Mr0qQWJP
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) January 30, 2025
NASA on Wednesday said that it was working with billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX to safely return the two astronauts (Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore), who have been struck STUCK (NOT STRUCK) FOR MONTHS at THE International Space Station (ISS), back home "as soon as practical."
Elon Musk had controversially blamed the Biden administration for leaving them so long in space.
The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 28, 2025
Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore arrived at the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing's Starliner. They were due to spend only eight days on the orbiting laboratory, but technical problems on the spacecraft prompted NASA to change plans. The US space agency announced in August that Boeing rival SpaceX would bring the crew home in February. But their return was further postponed due to SpaceX preparing a new spacecraft.
US President Donald Trump said SpaceX would "soon" begin a mission to repatriate the two American astronauts.
"I have asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to go get the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden administration. They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!" he posted on his Truth Social.
The astronauts are scheduled to return on the Crew 9 mission at the end of March 2025, completing nearly 300 days in space.
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