Two NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, are set to complete spacewalks in January to repair the International Space Station (ISS) before their new ride back to Earth via SpaceX’s Crew Dragon arrives this spring. The veteran astronauts will participate in spacewalks alongside Russian cosmonauts and fellow astronauts, ensuring the ISS remains operational until 2030.
In an effort to maintain the over 25-year-old space station, regular maintenance is crucial. Williams and Wilmore’s upcoming spacewalks include collecting samples of surface materials from outside the ISS to determine if microorganisms can exist there, as well as removing an antenna assembly from the station’s truss.
The astronauts’ participation in spacewalks marks the 273rd for the orbiting laboratory, which is located about 250 miles above Earth. With SpaceX’s Crew Dragon scheduled to arrive this spring, NASA astronauts are busy working and living on the ISS until their new ride arrives.
Source: https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/stranded-astronauts-spacewalks-iss-repairs