All-Female Spacewalk at the International Space Station Makes History
An all female spacewalk at the International Space Station has been completed for the sixth time in history, with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and French astronaut Sophie Adenot spending about 6.5 hours working outside the orbiting laboratory.
Meir and Adenot carried out the spacewalk as part of ongoing maintenance and upgrade work at the station. During the International Space Station spacewalk, Meir travelled between worksites using the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm, while Adenot remained tethered to the station throughout the operation.
The mission also marked another milestone for Meir, who previously made history in 2019. She and NASA astronaut Christina Koch conducted the first all-female spacewalk, marking an important moment in the history of human spaceflight. Meir’s latest mission adds another entry to that record.
The latest NASA astronauts spacewalk was the 284th spacewalk conducted in support of space station assembly, maintenance and upgrades. It was also the seventh spacewalk of the year, making it part of the station’s continuing programme of work outside the spacecraft.
For Adenot, the mission involved working alongside Meir in the demanding environment outside the station. The astronauts had to remain connected to the spacecraft while moving between work areas and carrying out their assigned tasks.
The all-female spacewalk at the International Space Station also brought together astronauts from two different countries. Meir represented NASA, while Adenot represented France, reflecting the international cooperation that supports operations aboard the station.
The International Space Station spacewalk focused on practical maintenance and upgrade activities needed to support the orbiting laboratory. At the same time, the all-female spacewalk at the International Space Station added to the history of women taking part in complex work beyond the spacecraft. For the station’s broader programme, the 284th spacewalk represents another step in its long-running assembly, maintenance and upgrade efforts.
