Sunita Williams Breaks Spacewalk Record

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams has set a new record for the longest spacewalking time by a woman, surpassing the previous record held by Peggy Whitson. She has now spent a total of 62 hours and 6 minutes outside the spacecraft in space across nine spacewalks.

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She achieved this milestone while working outside the International Space Station (ISS) with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore. The two astronauts, who have been stranded on the ISS since June 2024, were conducting maintenance work during their spacewalk. Their return to Earth has been delayed due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.

Key Highlights

New Spacewalk Record

• Sunita Williams has now completed 62 hours and 6 minutes of spacewalking time.
• She broke Peggy Whitson’s record of 60 hours and 21 minutes.
• She is now ranked fourth on NASA’s all-time spacewalking list.
• The record-breaking spacewalk lasted 5 hours and 26 minutes, starting at 7:43 AM ET and ending at 1:09 PM ET.

Why Did They Do the Spacewalk?

• Williams and Wilmore removed old radio communication equipment from the ISS.
• They also collected samples to check for tiny microorganisms living on the outside of the ISS.

Extended Stay in Space

• The two astronauts launched on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft in June 2024 for what was originally planned as an eight-day mission.
• However, helium leaks and thruster problems made the spacecraft unsafe for their return.
• NASA has now decided to bring them back in March 2025 using a SpaceX spacecraft instead.

Sunita Williams’s Achievements

• This was her ninth spacewalk, while it was Wilmore’s fifth.
• In 2012, she became the first person to complete a triathlon in space, using exercise equipment on the ISS.

NASA’s Announcement

• NASA shared the news of her record-breaking achievement on X (formerly Twitter).
• The space agency is closely monitoring the astronauts’ health and mission progress while they wait for their return to Earth.

Sunita Williams continues to inspire young space enthusiasts worldwide with her incredible achievements in space exploration! 🚀🌍