From 900 hours of research to 62 hours of spacewalk, here’s how Sunita Williams spent 9 months in space

Sunita Williams Nears Return After Nine-Month Stay in Space

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore reached the ISS on 5 June 2024. They travelled aboard Boeing’s Starliner on its first crewed mission. The trip was supposed to last just eight days, but technical failures changed plans. Helium leaks and system glitches kept them on the space station for months.

Now, Williams' return is finally in sight. The SpaceX Crew-10 mission is set to launch on 12 or 13 March. A week-long handover process will follow their arrival at the ISS. Williams and her fellow astronauts are expected to return to Earth on 19 March.

Williams' Role at the ISS
During her extended mission, Williams remained active with various tasks. She played a key role in maintaining and cleaning the ISS, as reported by NDTV. The station, about the size of a football field, requires constant upkeep. She also helped replace outdated equipment and conducted scientific experiments.

NASA reported that Williams and her team completed 900 hours of research. They worked on over 150 experiments and technology demonstrations. Among her achievements, she set a new record for total spacewalking time. Across all her missions, she has spent 62 hours and nine minutes outside the ISS. Her recent spacewalks lasted over five hours each in January.

Scientific Contributions
Williams contributed to key research projects aboard the ISS. She worked on the Packed Bed Reactor Experiment: Water Recovery Series. This study examines how gravity affects fluid systems in space. The findings could improve reactors for water recovery and fuel cells.

She also participated in the BioNutrients investigation. This project explores ways to produce essential nutrients using engineered microbes. It aims to support long-duration space missions by providing fresh supplements. NASA believes this research could improve nutrition for astronauts in deep space.

Williams' time at the ISS has been eventful, filled with challenges and achievements. With her return now scheduled, she will soon conclude her longest mission in space.