NASA's stranded astronaut leaves the ISS for first time in months... but there's a catch

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NASA's stranded astronaut leaves the ISS for first time in months... but there's a catch
Published: Jan, 16 2025 16:36

One of NASA's stranded astronauts has finally left the International Space Station (ISS) after being stuck inside for eight months - but she's not headed home. Sunita Williams had a much-needed change of scenery Thursday during her first spacewalk since arriving on the ISS on June 6.

 [Williams ventured outside of the ISS on Thursday, January 16, for the first time since her mission began last June]
Image Credit: Mail Online [Williams ventured outside of the ISS on Thursday, January 16, for the first time since her mission began last June]

Williams, the station's commander, had to tackle some overdue outdoor repair work alongside NASA's Nick Hague. 'I'm coming out,' Williams radioed at around 6.30am ET. The pair emerged as the orbiting lab sailed 260 miles above Turkmenistan in Central Asia. The spacewalk is expected to take six and a half hours, concluding at around 1pm ET.

 [Sunita Williams, one of NASA's stranded astronauts, has finally left the International Space Station (ISS) after being stuck inside the floating laboratory for eight months]
Image Credit: Mail Online [Sunita Williams, one of NASA's stranded astronauts, has finally left the International Space Station (ISS) after being stuck inside the floating laboratory for eight months]

Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore were left stranded on the ISS after a malfunctioned Boeing capsule was deemed unsafe to bring them home. They were only supposed to be on the ISS for eight days but have faced numerous delays. The duo are set to return in late March or possibly April.

 [Williams tried on and evaluated her spacesuit aboard the ISS on January 9 ahead of her upcoming spacewalk]
Image Credit: Mail Online [Williams tried on and evaluated her spacesuit aboard the ISS on January 9 ahead of her upcoming spacewalk]

Thursday's spacewalk was the first by NASA astronauts since November 2023. But this was the eighth career spacewalk for Williams as this is her second stay on the ISS. On January 23, Williams will conduct another spacewalk with Wilmore, marking the first time he will emerge from the station since the start of their doomed space mission.

 [Williams emerged as the orbiting lab sailed 260 miles above Turkmenistan in Central Asia . 'I'm coming out,' Williams radioed]
Image Credit: Mail Online [Williams emerged as the orbiting lab sailed 260 miles above Turkmenistan in Central Asia . 'I'm coming out,' Williams radioed]

Sunita Williams has been stranded on the ISS since June but on Thursday, she was able to leave for a few hours. Williams ventured outside of the ISS on Thursday, January 16, for the first time since her mission began last June. NASA's current plan is to have Williams, Wilmore, Hague and Russian Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov fly back to Earth after the SpaceX Crew-10 mission reaches the ISS.

 [Williams and her colleague, NASA astronaut Nick Hague, were given several maintenance tasks to complete during their six and a half hour spacewalk]
Image Credit: Mail Online [Williams and her colleague, NASA astronaut Nick Hague, were given several maintenance tasks to complete during their six and a half hour spacewalk]

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