NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has set a new record for the longest total spacewalking time by a woman, logging 62 hours and 6 minutes. She surpassed the previous record of 60 hours and 21 minutes, held by fellow astronaut Peggy Whitson.
Williams, who has been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024, completed a spacewalk on Thursday alongside Butch Wilmore. During the spacewalk, the two astronauts removed malfunctioning radio equipment and collected samples from the ISS’s exterior to study microorganisms.
“NASA astronaut Suni Williams just surpassed former astronaut Peggy Whitson’s total spacewalking time of 60 hours and 21 minutes,” NASA shared in a post on X.
Originally, Williams and Wilmore’s mission was set for just eight days, but it has since been extended to a remarkable 238 days. This prolonged stay has raised discussions about the precautions needed for astronauts’ health and safety during extended missions.
NASA has acknowledged the unique challenges of this extended mission and is working closely with SpaceX to ensure the safe return of the astronauts. (Anadolu)
