Fri Jan 31 21:51:52 UTC 2025: ## NASA Astronauts Break Spacewalk Record, Await Delayed Return

**Houston, TX** – NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore completed a record-breaking 5.5-hour spacewalk on Thursday, exceeding their initial 6.5-hour schedule. This was Williams’ ninth spacewalk, bringing her total spacewalk time to 62 hours and 6 minutes, surpassing former astronaut Peggy Whitson’s record and placing her fourth on NASA’s all-time list. Wilmore completed his fifth spacewalk.

During the excursion, the astronauts successfully removed a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the International Space Station (ISS) and collected surface material samples for analysis.

However, the successful spacewalk is overshadowed by the ongoing delay in their return to Earth. Williams and Wilmore arrived at the ISS in June 2024 for an eight-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner, but technical issues extended their stay. Their return, initially planned for February 2025 via SpaceX, has been further postponed until the end of March 2025, resulting in a near 300-day stay.

The delay has sparked political controversy, with former President Trump criticizing the Biden administration for leaving the astronauts stranded and calling on SpaceX to expedite their return. President Biden has subsequently requested SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, to bring the astronauts home as soon as possible. Musk, who previously attributed the delay to the Biden administration, has confirmed that SpaceX will facilitate their return on the Crew 9 mission.

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