Nasa has announced that the crew members of Expedition 71, including Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, are gearing up for highly anticipated spacewalks and conducting advanced microgravity research aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The team of nine residents on the ISS is diligently maintaining the station’s electronic, life support, and orbital plumbing systems.
The space agency has scheduled two spacewalks for June 24 and July 2. During the first spacewalk, astronauts will address faulty radio hardware and swab station surfaces for microorganisms. The tasks planned for the second spacewalk include replacing a gyroscope assembly, relocating an antenna, and preparing the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer for future upgrades.
Starliner Pilot Sunita Williams began her day by transferring wastewater between station modules and replacing a video camera in the Columbus laboratory module. She then proceeded to the Kibo lab to water the Advanced Plant Habitat in preparation for upcoming scientific experiments.
Meanwhile, Starliner Commander Butch Wilmore was occupied in the Harmony module’s maintenance work area, setting up hardware and researching liquid flows for the Gaucho Lung study aimed at enhancing drug delivery for respiratory conditions and treating infants with respiratory distress syndrome.
Sunita Williams, who made history as the first woman to pilot a test spacecraft on its maiden flight to space, has spent a total of 322 days in space and holds the record for the most hours of spacewalk by a woman. This marks her third space flight, following missions in 2006 and 2012.
