Sunita Williams is set to perform her first spacewalk in 12 years. According to a NASA statement, she will join fellow astronaut Nick Hague on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) (on January 16) to repair the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) X-ray telescope.
Apart from this, after a few days Sunita Williams will participate in another spacewalk. Both of these spacewalks are part of NASA’s ongoing efforts to upgrade and maintain the ISS.
These missions will be conducted as “US Spacewalk 91” on January 16 and “US Spacewalk 92” on January 23.
16 January spacewalk
Sunita Williams will work with fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague on January 16 to replace the Critical Rate Gyro Assembly, which plays a key role in maintaining the ISS’s orientation.
In addition, the pair will look at the light filters of the NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) X-ray telescope, and replace a reflector device used for navigation on one of the station’s docking adapters.
The team will also investigate various access points and equipment that will be used for future maintenance of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a key scientific instrument.
NICER is set to become the first NASA observatory to undergo an in-orbit repair since the Hubble Space Telescope’s servicing mission in 2009.
The International Space Station shared details of the mission on social media, revealing that the January 16 spacewalk will focus on repairing the NICER telescope.
“On January 16, NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Suni Williams will exit the space station to repair the NICER X-ray telescope. Hague trained for the spacewalk last year with station astronaut Don Pettit,” the ISS shared on X (formerly Twitter).
On 16th January, @NASA_Astronaut Nick Hague and Suni Williams will exit the space station to repair the NICER X-ray telescope. Hague trained for the spacewalk last year with station astronaut Don Pettit. More…
– International Space Station (@Space_Station) 8 January 2025
According to NASA, Sunita Williams, who will be the second crew member to step outside the station, will wear an unmarked suit, while Nick Hague, who will lead the spacewalk as Crew Member 1, will be in a suit with red stripes.
This is Sunita Williams’ eighth spacewalk and Nick Hague’s fourth spacewalk. The spacewalk will be the 273rd in support of ISS assembly, maintenance and upgrades.
23 January spacewalk
This spacewalk will be another important operation. This time, she will team up with astronaut Butch Wilmore to remove an antenna assembly from the station’s truss, collect surface samples for analysis and prepare an additional joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm.
This spacewalk will also include testing for microbial life on the exterior of the space station. The event will mark the 274th spacewalk dedicated to the ongoing maintenance and improvement of the ISS.
Although Sunita Williams originally planned to return to Earth in February 2025, her return has been delayed due to safety concerns involving the Boeing Starliner. Now he is expected to return in March 2025.
