Astronauts trapped on the ISS staged a major spacewalk : Suni Williams, along with colleague Nick Hague, marking the agency’s first extravehicular activity in more than a year. The mission, which lasted about 6.5 hours, was crucially aimed at making critical repairs to scientific and navigation equipment.
Critical repairs for astronauts trapped on the ISS
During the spacewalk, the duo worked on replacing a gyroscope essential for controlling the ISS’s orientation. They also installed protective patches on light filters on the NICER telescope , which studies neutron stars.
They also replaced a key navigation reflector device on the international docking adapters. This work ensured continued maintenance of the station’s advanced equipment.
Watch astronauts work live. Source: NASA
An unexpected extended trip
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were scheduled to depart for the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner for an eight-day mission. However, technical problems with the ship’s thrusters forced the team to return the Starliner to Earth remotely, extending the astronauts’ stay to nearly ten months .
Despite the challenges, Williams and her team have played a vital role on the station, contributing to science experiments , routine maintenance and preparations for future missions. This is Williams’ eighth spacewalk, and she will also lead another spacewalk next week alongside Wilmore, cementing her legacy in space exploration .
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Source: Popular Science
Photo: Shutterstock
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