NASA’s caught astronaut Suni Williams steps out on a spacewalk after 7 months in orbit

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Certainly one of NASA’s two caught astronauts acquired a a lot welcomed change of surroundings Thursday, stepping out on her first spacewalk since arriving on the Worldwide Area Station greater than seven months in the past.

Suni Williams, the station’s commander, needed to deal with some overdue outside restore work alongside NASA’s Nick Hague. They emerged because the orbiting lab sailed 260 miles (420 kilometers) above Turkmenistan.

“I am popping out,” Williams radioed.

Plans known as for Williams to drift again out subsequent week with Butch Wilmore. Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule final June on what ought to have been a weeklong check flight.

However Starliner hassle dragged out their return, and NASA ordered the capsule to return again empty. Then SpaceX delayed the launch of their replacements, that means the 2 will not be house till late March or early April – ten months after launching.

It was the primary spacewalk by NASA astronauts since an aborted one final summer season. U.S. spacewalks have been placed on maintain after water leaked into the airlock from the cooling loop for an astronaut’s swimsuit. NASA mentioned the issue has been fastened.

This was the eighth spacewalk for Williams, who has lived on the area station earlier than.

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