Adenot and NASA\u2019s Anil Menon conducted the spacewalk with the goal of replacing a failed space-to-ground antenna on the International Space Station.<\/p>\n
Sophie Adenot, a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, has become the first French woman and second European woman \u2013 after Italy\u2019s Samantha Cristoforetti in 2022 \u2013 to successfully complete a spacewalk, having carried out the mission on Tuesday (18 August).<\/p>\n
Adenot, who was joined by NASA\u2019s Anil Menon, undertook the six-hour, 23-minute spacewalk outside of the International Space Station in order to remove a failed space-to-ground antenna. The antenna was designed to track NASA\u2019s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, however, the device has failed to do so for months.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While the pair managed to remove the device, stuck bolts and connectors on the failed antenna delayed the work, preventing Adenot and Menon from installing the new antenna as planned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The plan was revised with Mission Control advising the crew to perform a \u2018long-duration tie-down\u2019 on the ISS\u2019s truss structure, rather than transporting the failed antenna. It was decided that the installation of the spare antenna would be carried out on a future spacewalk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The ESA explained that this is the 282nd spacewalk to occur as a means of supporting space station assembly, maintenance and upgrades. Another spacewalk is scheduled for 25 August and will be the fifth of the Epsilon mission.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Referencing the mission in an ESA livestream, Menon said: \u201cWe got into this with the mindset that we wanted everything to go perfectly. Things were a lot different than expected, but what I would say that I am really impressed with is that all of those contingencies were well thought out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prior to her excursion, in a post on social media platform X, Adenot said: \u201cA successful EVA [extravehicular activity] starts long before the hatch opens and that\u2019s where my focus has been these past few days, rehearsing, preparing and focusing.\u201d<\/p>\n
In June, Irish Manufacturing Research announced the next ESA Phi-Lab Ireland Open Call<\/a>, inviting Irish companies to better position themselves in the global space economy. Interested organisations have until 8 September 2026 to apply<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n