Only 4 Hrs Short: Sunita Williams Could Become Most Experienced Woman Spacewalker After Jan 23 EVA

With 8 spacewalks under her belt, Sunita Williams has 56 hrs and 40 mins of extravehicular activities to her name. After her 9th spacewalk, she can beat Peggy Whitson's record of 60 hrs and 21 mins.

NASA astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams is set to solidify her place in space exploration history as one of the most experienced female spacewalkers. On January 16, she undertook a six-hour spacewalk along with fellow astronaut Nick Hague as they ventured out of the International Space Station (ISS) to conduct critical upgrades and repairs. With eight extravehicular activities (EVA) under her belt now, and a ninth one scheduled for January 23, 2025, Williams is on track to become the most accomplished woman spacewalker, a title currently held by astronaut Peggy Whitson.

Sunita Williams Spacewalking Excellence

Sunita Williams’ storied career began with her first long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) during Expeditions 14/15 from December 2006 to June 2007. During this mission, she conducted four spacewalks totalling 29 hours and 17 minutes, setting a record for the most spacewalking time by a female astronaut at the time. However, this record was surpassed by astronaut Peggy Whitson in 2008.

Williams's second long-duration mission came during Expeditions 32/33 in 2012, where she completed three more spacewalks alongside Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. These walks addressed critical repairs, including replacing components of the ISS’s power relay system and fixing an ammonia leak, according to NASA updates. By the end of this mission, Williams had accumulated a total of 50 hours and 40 minutes of spacewalking time, once again reclaiming the record for the most cumulative spacewalking time by a woman, which was surpassed by Peggy Whitson, again, in 2017.

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The Upcoming Milestone

Williams’ upcoming spacewalk, scheduled for January 23, will involve removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly, collecting material samples for microbial analysis, and preparing a spare elbow joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm. This will bring her total to nine space

walks, further cementing her reputation as a veteran astronaut.

Currently, Peggy Whitson holds the record for the most cumulative spacewalking hours by a female astronaut. Accumulating 665 days in space, she has 10 spacewalks adding up to 60 hours and 21 minutes of extravehicular activities to her name. Whitson etched her name in the Guinness World Records for most spacewalks by a female.

After six hours of spacewalk on January 16, Williams has accumulated 56 hours and 40 minutes of extravehicular activities. With her ninth spacewalk on the horizon, which is expected to last six and a half hours, Sunita Williams is poised to challenge Peggy Whitson's record. She will be undertaking the spacewalk along with fellow astronaut Buch Wilmore. 

NASA will provide live coverage of the January 23 spacewalk on NASA+, beginning at 5:15 pm IST. The spacewalk itself is scheduled to begin at 6:45 pm IST.