Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore finally undertake first spacewalk after 8 months

After being stranded in space for eight months, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have embarked on their first joint spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts, who arrived at the ISS in June 2024, were originally scheduled to stay for just eight days. However, technical issues with their spacecraft led to extended delays.

On Thursday, Williams, an Indian-origin astronaut and Commander, along with Wilmore, ventured outside the ISS to perform maintenance work. They also cleaned the station's exterior to check for any microbes from Earth. During the live-streamed event, Wilmore excitedly said, “Here we go,” as they exited the station, which is located 420 kilometers above Earth.

NASA has been working with SpaceX, led by billionaire Elon Musk, to safely return the astronauts. This collaboration aims to bring Williams and Wilmore home in February. Despite earlier plans for a February return, delays were caused by preparations for a new SpaceX spacecraft. NASA has confirmed that both SpaceX and the agency are working to ensure the astronauts' safe repatriation as soon as possible.

The pair initially arrived at the ISS aboard Boeing's Starliner, but their stay was extended due to the spacecraft's technical problems. While SpaceX prepares for the launch of Crew-10, which will complete the handover between expeditions, the astronauts continue their mission above Earth.