Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has completed her eighth spacewalk, extending her spacewalk time to over 56 hours. The six-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) took place on January 16 as Williams and fellow astronaut Nick Hague ventured outside the International Space Station (ISS) to conduct critical repairs and upgrades.
The spacewalk began at 18.31 IST, with Williams and Hague tackling their primary objectives swiftly. Within the first hour, the duo replaced the rate gyro assembly, a critical piece of hardware that tracks the ISS’s orientation.
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Once the new assembly was installed, Hague stowed the replaced unit back in the airlock. Ground control teams confirmed that the newly installed gyro was operational, paving the way for the astronauts to move on to other tasks.
Williams then replaced a reflector mounted atop the Harmony module, essential for guiding incoming spacecraft, while Hague focused on patching the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) X-ray telescope.
The NICER telescope had been experiencing issues since May 2023 due to sunlight leaking through damaged thermal shields, disrupting its neutron star observations. Hague installed pie-shaped patches designed to block unwanted light, restoring the telescope’s functionality.
The pair also prepared the area around the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer for future maintenance, completing their scheduled tasks an hour ahead of time. Ground teams assigned additional objectives, including troubleshooting a stuck Articulating Portable Foot Restraint. The astronauts examined and photographed the issue, ensuring no further complications for future missions.
Despite a brief interruption in their helmet camera feeds, which was resolved by power cycling, the astronauts maintained steady progress. They captured images of an ammonia line and returned their tools to the airlock, ultimately re-entering the ISS half an hour ahead of schedule.
This mission, designated US Spacewalk 91, holds particular significance for Sunita Williams. It marks her return to extravehicular activities after a 12-year hiatus.
Now in her eighth spacewalk, Williams has spent a cumulative 56 hours and 40 minutes in EVA, solidifying her place among NASA’s most experienced astronauts. Her return to spacewalking comes seven months into her current mission aboard the ISS, highlighting her enduring commitment to advancing scientific exploration.
For Nick Hague, this was his fourth spacewalk, adding to his growing expertise in extravehicular operations. The successful completion of their mission reflects the collaboration and precision required for such complex endeavours.
Williams and Hague are set to embark on another spacewalk on January 23, 2025, to continue upgrades to the ISS.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
