Watch: NASA astronauts conduct first all-women spacewalk, create history
The mission, expected to last nearly five hours, came seven months after a failed first attempt.
US National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir made history on Friday when they embarked on the first all-women spacewalk, AFP reported.
The much-anticipated milestone for NASA was achieved during a mission to replace faulty batteries on the International Space Station. The mission, expected to last nearly five hours, followed a failed first attempt in March that was cancelled because one woman’s ill-fitting suit. She was replaced by a male colleague.
Today's #AllWomanSpacewalk is a milestone worth noting & celebrating as we look forward to putting the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024 with our #Artemis program. Tune in to see @Astro_Christina & @Astro_Jessica work in the vacuum of space: https://t.co/2SIb9YFKsH
— NASA (@NASA) October 18, 2019
NASA said Koch had already carried out four spacewalks. Meir, meanwhile, became the 15th woman to walk in space.
“Our achievements provide inspiration to students around the world, proving that hard work can lead you to great heights, and all students should be able to see themselves in those achievements,” a NASA spokesperson said before the spacewalk, according to Reuters.
Spacewalks are formally called extravehicular activities. The all-women walk is in line with the agency’s aim to ramp up inclusivity in space. NASA is a traditionally male-dominated organisation, and has often been denounced for its sexism.
What's going on inside Mission Control during the #AllWomanSpacewalk? Flight controllers are monitoring various systems built into @Astro_Christina & @Astro_Jessica's spacesuits, like oxygen & water, while relaying tasks to the spacewalkers & controlling systems on the station. pic.twitter.com/RBjgcW4Exx
— Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) October 18, 2019
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