CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two caught astronauts took their first spacewalk collectively Thursday, exiting the Worldwide Area Station virtually eight months after shifting in.
Commander Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore floated out to carry out upkeep work and wipe the station’s exterior for proof of any microbes that may nonetheless be alive after launching from Earth and escaping by means of vents.
“Right here we go,” Wilmore stated as he emerged 260 miles (420 kilometers) above Spain.
However their model new journey, Boeing’s Starliner capsule, encountered a lot hassle that NASA determined to return it empty.
That left the 2 take a look at pilots, each retired Navy captains, in orbit till SpaceX can deliver them dwelling. That gained’t occur till late March or early April, extending their mission to 10 months due to a SpaceX delay in launching their replacements.
Williams carried out a spacewalk two weeks in the past with one other NASA astronaut.
It marked Wilmore’s first time exterior this journey. Each racked up spacewalks throughout earlier house station stays.
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