NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, the first Indian-origin woman to command the International Space Station (ISS), marked a significant milestone on Thursday by completing her first spacewalk since arriving at the ISS more than seven months ago. The station’s commander, Williams, teamed up with fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague to carry out much-needed outdoor repairs on the orbiting laboratory.
The pair stepped outside the ISS as it flew 260 miles above Turkmenistan, making the spacewalk a key part of their ongoing mission to maintain the ISS and address overdue maintenance tasks.
“I’m coming out,” Williams radioed as she prepared for the task, which took place in low Earth orbit. The spacewalk was part of NASA’s efforts to keep the ISS in optimal working condition. The astronauts worked together to complete repairs that had been postponed due to a series of delays.
In an unexpected twist, Williams had originally planned to float back out next week alongside astronaut Butch Wilmore for another spacewalk. Williams and Wilmore had launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule last June, expecting to complete a weeklong test flight. However, technical issues with the Starliner capsule delayed their return to Earth. NASA ultimately ordered the capsule to return empty, further complicating their return.
The delay in the Starliner flight, compounded by postponements with SpaceX’s launch of replacement astronauts, has extended their stay on the ISS. Williams and Wilmore are now expected to return to Earth in late March or early April—nearly ten months after they first launched.