Sophie Adenot becomes first French woman to walk in space

Sophie Adenot has become the first French woman to perform a spacewalk, stepping outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday alongside NASA astronaut Anil Menon. The roughly six-and-a-half-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) aimed to replace a high-speed communications antenna, a critical link between the orbital laboratory and mission control in Houston Source: Portafolio, infobae.

The mission

Adenot, a 44-year-old ESA astronaut and former test pilot, and Menon exited the station at about 08:29 EDT (12:29 GMT). Menon worked from the Canadarm2 robotic arm while Adenot remained tethered to the station's exterior. They successfully removed the faulty antenna, but did not complete an additional task requiring installation of a spare part; NASA said this would be done during a future spacewalk Source: diariolibree.

The spacewalk was originally scheduled for August 13 but was postponed five days after a carbon dioxide sensor in Menon's suit gave an unexpected reading at the end of a previous EVA Source: infobae, Portafolio.

Reactions and context

Adenot is the second ESA astronaut to perform a spacewalk, after Italy's Samantha Cristoforetti in 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated the feat, writing on social media: "The hour of the pioneers... Sophie Adenot embodies French pride as much as a horizon for girls who dream of the infinite" Source: infobae.

Adenot, who became the second French woman in space in February, follows Claudie Haigneré, who flew in 1996 and 2001 but never walked in space. The last French astronaut to perform a spacewalk was Thomas Pesquet, with six during his two ISS missions Source: infobae.

This was the 282nd spacewalk supporting ISS assembly and maintenance, and the 97th by US astronauts. NASA has scheduled a third maintenance spacewalk for August 25 Source: diariolibree, infobae.