NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore conducted a 5-hour and 26-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) on January 30, 2025, to remove a faulty radio frequency group (RFG). The unit, an essential part of the station’s primary communication system, had resisted previous removal attempts. The astronauts launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner and are currently part of the Expedition 72 crew. After configuring their tools, Williams was positioned on the Canadarm2 robotic arm while Wilmore worked directly at the S-band antenna. The operation was completed despite earlier failures in 2023 and 2024.
Persistent Efforts Lead to Success
According to reports, previous attempts in April 2023 and October 2023 were unsuccessful, with the latching bolt refusing to release. Two scheduled spacewalks in June 2024 were also aborted due to spacesuit issues. Williams and Wilmore used various techniques, including mechanical adjustments and manual force, to finally detach the unit. NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen, who participated in an earlier attempt, was in Mission Control to provide guidance. After removal, the component was carefully transferred to the Quest airlock for future refurbishment on Earth.
Record-Breaking Spacewalk by Williams
As per reports, Williams’ ninth extravehicular activity (EVA) has set a new record for the most time spent in spacewalks by a female astronaut, with a total of 62 hours and 6 minutes. The previous record of 60 hours and 21 minutes was held by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who still maintains the record for the most EVAs conducted by a woman at 10. Wilmore’s total EVA time has now reached 31 hours and 2 minutes.
Scientific Samples Collected During EVA
In addition to the primary task, Wilmore collected potential microbial samples from the outer surface of the airlock. Since 2014, Russian cosmonauts have conducted similar studies, but this marked the first time NASA astronauts have gathered such data. Due to time constraints and a minor battery issue in Williams’ suit, a planned task involving the Canadarm2 robotic arm was postponed for a future spacewalk. This EVA marked the 274th spacewalk dedicated to ISS maintenance, upgrades, and assembly since 1998
