Sunita Williams To Go On Her First Spacewalk In 12 Years

Sunita Williams is set to undertake her first spacewalk in 12 years. According to a statement from NASA, she will join fellow astronaut Nick Hague on a mission aboard (on January 16) the International Space Station (ISS) to repair the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) X-ray telescope. 

In addition to this, Sunita Williams will take part in another spacewalk just a few days later. Both these spacewalks are part of NASA's ongoing efforts to upgrade and maintain the ISS. 

These missions will be conducted as “US spacewalk 91” on January 16 and “US spacewalk 92” on January 23.

January 16 Spacewalk

Sunita Williams will work alongside fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague on January 16 to replace a critical rate gyro assembly, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the ISS's orientation. 

In addition to this, the duo will look at the light filters of the NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) X-ray telescope, and replace a reflector device used for navigation on one of the station's docking adapters. 

The team will also check various access points and tools that will be used for future maintenance of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a key scientific instrument. 

NICER is set to become the first NASA observatory to undergo repairs in orbit since the Hubble Space Telescope's servicing mission in 2009.

The International Space Station shared details of the mission on social media, revealing that the January 16 spacewalk will focus on repairing the NICER telescope. 

“On January 16, NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Suni Williams will exit the space station to repair the NICER X-ray telescope. Hague, along with station astronaut Don Pettit, trained for the spacewalk last year,” the ISS shared on X (formerly Twitter).

On Jan. 16, @NASA_Astronauts Nick Hague and Suni Williams will exit the space station to repair the NICER X-ray telescope. Hague, along with station astronaut Don Pettit, trained for the spacewalk last year. More... https://t.co/RKGk6DOWVe https://t.co/GpQBetjtOs

— International Space Station (@Space_Station) January 8, 2025

According to NASA, Sunita Williams, who will be the second crew member to step outside the station, will wear an unmarked suit, while Nick Hague, who will take the lead as spacewalk crew member 1, will be in a suit with red stripes.

This marks Sunita Williams' eighth spacewalk and Nick Hague's fourth. The spacewalk will be the 273rd in support of ISS assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

January 23 Spacewalk

This spacewalk will be another critical operation. This time, she will team up with astronaut Butch Wilmore to remove an antenna assembly from the station's truss, collect surface samples for analysis and prepare a spare joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm. 

This spacewalk will also include testing for microbial life on the exterior of the space station. The event will mark the 274th spacewalk dedicated to the ISS's ongoing maintenance and improvements.

Although Sunita Williams had originally planned to return to Earth in February 2025, her return has been delayed due to safety concerns surrounding the Boeing Starliner. She is now expected to return in March 2025.