Fri Jan 31 00:16:43 IST 2025: ## Stranded Astronauts Complete Historic Spacewalk After Eight-Month Delay
**Houston, TX** – After eight months stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore successfully completed their first joint spacewalk Thursday. The historic event, livestreamed by NASA, saw the pair conducting vital maintenance and collecting samples to check for surviving terrestrial microbes on the ISS exterior.
The spacewalk, lasting approximately 6.5 hours, commenced at 8 am ET (1300 UTC). Commander Williams, of Indian origin, and Wilmore were initially scheduled for an eight-day stay aboard the ISS after arriving in June 2024 via Boeing’s Starliner. However, technical issues with the Starliner delayed their return, prompting NASA to enlist SpaceX for their repatriation.
While NASA initially planned for a February return facilitated by SpaceX, further delays occurred due to SpaceX’s preparations for a new spacecraft. NASA has confirmed that they are working closely with SpaceX to safely return Williams and Wilmore “as soon as practical,” while simultaneously preparing for the launch of Crew-10. President Trump previously announced SpaceX’s involvement in the repatriation mission. Wilmore quipped “Here we go” as he began the spacewalk, 420 kilometers above Earth, highlighting the culmination of months of waiting and preparation.
First Piper 