NASA astronaut Sunita 'Suni' Williams achieved a significant milestone on January 30, 2025, by breaking the record for total spacewalking time previously held by former astronaut Peggy Whitson.
The International Space Station (ISS) announced on X: "NASA astronaut Suni Williams has just surpassed Peggy Whitson's total spacewalking time of 60 hours and 21 minutes today. Suni is currently outside in the vacuum of space, working on the removal of radio communications hardware."
During this spacewalk, Williams was engaged in maintenance tasks for the ISS hardware and collecting surface material samples from the Destiny laboratory and Quest airlock for further analysis. This event was part of Expedition 72, commencing around 8 am EST. NASA provided a live stream of the event on YouTube and their official website, marking the 92nd spacewalk conducted by U.S. astronauts.
Dressed in a suit with red stripes, Williams was accompanied by astronaut Butch Wilmore, who wore a suit without markings. This marked Wilmore's fifth spacewalk and Williams' ninth. Both astronauts arrived at the ISS in 2024 as part of Expedition 72, which began on September 23.
Earlier in the week, SpaceX founder Elon Musk sparked controversy with remarks regarding the situation of two astronauts, including Wilmore and Williams, who have been on the ISS since June 2024. Due to technical delays with their Boeing Starliner capsule, their return to Earth was delayed, leading Musk to state on X, "The President has asked SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the ISS as soon as possible. We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long."
Former President Donald Trump voiced his dissatisfaction with the Biden administration, accusing it of "abandoning" astronauts. He posted on Truth Social, "I have reached out to SpaceX founder Elon Musk to rescue the two courageous astronauts who have been effectively left behind in space by the Biden administration. They have been waiting for several months on @Space Station. Elon will be on his way soon. I hope for their safety. Good luck, Elon!!!"
However, the description of Wilmore and Williams as "stranded" has been challenged. Although their return was postponed, they were never in peril, and they could have returned at any time using a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Wilmore and Williams are scheduled to return on the Crew 9 mission at the end of March 2025, completing nearly 300 days in space.
While Musk has suggested an early return, such a decision could interfere with ISS operations, leaving only one US astronaut on board to handle essential tasks. As the departure of Crew 9 approaches, the astronauts will remain until March 2025, achieving the objectives of their extended mission.
