Stranded NASA astronaut makes first spacewalk since getting stuck

One of the two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) has made his first spacewalk since arriving at the station nearly seven months ago.

According to the Associated Press, Suni Williams took a spacewalk on Thursday, January 16, to help NASA’s Nick Hague with some outdoor repair work.

“I’m coming out,” said Williams, 59, as she left the ISS for the first time since arriving seven months earlier with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore.

The pair originally flew into space on a week-long test flight of a Boeing Starliner capsule in June 2024, but their return was delayed when their spacecraft experienced mechanical problems and they were ultimately sent home without them.

NASA had originally hoped to have the two astronauts back on Earth in February, but their return was delayed last month until at least March.

NASA previously said it was working with SpaceX to complete “processing” for a new Dragon spacecraft for the mission. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said the process is “a painstaking undertaking that requires great attention to detail.”

“We appreciate the SpaceX team’s hard work to expand the Dragon fleet in support of our missions, as well as the flexibility of the station program and expedition teams as we work together to complete the new capsule’s flight readiness,” Stich said in his December 2024 statement.

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According to the AP, this was the eighth spacewalk of Williams’ career.

In November 2024, Williams told NBC News that she and Wilmore were “feeling good, exercising (and) eating right” while stuck on the ISS.

“It’s just great,” she said at the time. “We’re having a lot of fun up here too. People who are worried about us really aren’t worried about us…we’re a happy bunch up here.”