NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has set a new record for the most time spent spacewalking by a woman, surpassing former astronaut Peggy Whitson’s previous record of 60 hours and 21 minutes.
During a 5.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) on January 30, 2025, alongside fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, Williams logged a total of 62 hours and 6 minutes of spacewalking time across her career. However, Whitson still holds the record for the most spacewalks by a woman (10), while Williams has completed nine so far.
Highlights from the Spacewalk:
Williams and Wilmore successfully removed a broken antenna and collected samples for microbial analysis.
This was Wilmore’s fifth spacewalk, bringing his total time in the vacuum of space to 31 hours and 2 minutes.
The duo had to overcome technical difficulties while unbolting the faulty antenna, demonstrating their expertise and composure under pressure.
Are They “Stuck” in Space?
Williams and Wilmore were originally scheduled to return to Earth within a week of their June 5, 2024, launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner. However, due to technical issues, NASA decided to send the spacecraft back to Earth empty, leaving the astronauts waiting for a SpaceX Dragon return mission now planned for March or April 2025.
Despite speculation that they are “stranded,” Williams remains optimistic, calling space her “happy place” and urging people on Earth to find unity:
“It’s really difficult for me to imagine people on Earth not getting along… We should all be happy that we are there together.”
With her latest milestone, Williams is also on track to overtake astronaut Jeff Williams in total flight time, making her the second most experienced US astronaut after Whitson.
Stay tuned for further updates as Williams and Wilmore continue their extended mission aboard the International Space Station!
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