NASA's stuck astronaut Sunita Williams steps out on spacewalk after 7 months in orbit
Cape Canaveral (US), Jan 16 (AP): One of NASA's two stuck astronauts got a much welcomed change of scenery Thursday, stepping out on her first spacewalk since arriving at the International Space Station more than seven months ago.
Indian-origin Sunita Williams, the station's commander, had to tackle some overdue outdoor repair work alongside NASA's Nick Hague. They emerged as the orbiting lab sailed 260 miles above Turkmenistan.
“I'm coming out,” Williams radioed.
Plans called for Williams to float back out next week with Butch Wilmore. Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing's new Starliner capsule last June on what should have been a weeklong test flight.
But Starliner trouble dragged out their return, and NASA ordered the capsule to come back empty. Then SpaceX delayed the launch of their replacements, meaning the two won't be home until late March or early April — ten months after launching.
It was the first spacewalk by NASA astronauts since an aborted one last summer. US spacewalks were put on hold after water leaked into the airlock from the cooling loop for an astronaut's suit. NASA said the problem has been fixed.
This was the eighth spacewalk for Williams, who has lived on the space station before.
LIVE: Two @NASA_Astronauts, Nick Hague and Suni Williams, step outside of the @Space_Station to support station upgrades, including repairs to our NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer) X-ray telescope. https://t.co/0VP296OmRY
— NASA (@NASA) January 16, 2025
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5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Mandalay in Myanmar, latest in string of aftershocks
Bangkok(AP/PTI) : A 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit near Myanmar's second-largest city on Sunday, the USGS said, the latest in a string of aftershocks following Friday's devastating temblor.
People in the streets of Mandalay screamed as the aftershock hit.
Friday's 7.7 magnitude quake hit near the city, bringing down scores of buildings and damaging other infrastructure.
So far, more than 1,600 people have been reported dead and more than 3,400 missing but the numbers are expected to rise.
