Sophie Adenot completes historic first French woman spacewalk

French astronaut Sophie Adenot has become the first French woman to perform a spacewalk, spending over six hours outside the International Space Station (ISS) alongside NASA astronaut Anil Menon. The mission, conducted approximately 400 kilometers above Earth, was intended to facilitate repairs, including the removal of a faulty antenna.

While the mission was a historic milestone for Adenot, technical difficulties arose during the operation. Approximately four hours into the spacewalk, both astronauts encountered stubborn bolts that proved difficult to remove, hindering their ability to complete the full list of scheduled tasks. As a result, additional spacewalks will need to be programmed to finish the necessary repairs.

The mission also highlighted the extreme physical challenges of extravehicular activity. Astronauts must rely on specialized spacesuits that act as miniature spacecraft to protect against the vacuum of space, extreme temperature fluctuations, and the lack of atmospheric pressure and oxygen.