ESA’s Sophie Adenot is the first French woman to spacewalk
Adenot is the second European woman to complete a spacewalk, following the footsteps of Italy’s Samantha Cristoforetti in 2022. Read more: ESA’s Sophie Adenot is the first French woman to spacewalk
On Tuesday, 18th August, Sophie Adenot, an ESA astronaut, etched her name into history as the first French woman and second European woman to successfully complete a spacewalk. Accompanied by NASA's Anil Menon, Adenot spent six hours and 23 minutes outside the International Space Station, carrying out a crucial mission to repair a malfunctioning space-to-ground antenna.
The antenna, designed to track NASA's TDRS tracking and data relay satellite, had failed, preventing the crew from installing a new antenna as originally planned due to stuck bolts and connectors. Adenot and Menon were required to perform a long-duration tie-down on the Station truss structure instead. ESA revealed that this marks the 282nd spacewalk to support the station's assembly, maintenance, and upgrades, with another scheduled for 25th August.
Menon described the mission, emphasizing the unexpected challenges and the well-planned contingencies. Prior to her spacewalk, Adenot shared on social media, "A successful EVA starts long before the hatch opens," highlighting her focus on thorough preparation and rehearsal.
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