On Tuesday, Sophie Adenot carried out her first spacewalk outside the International Space Station, marking the first time a French woman has performed an EVA in the orbiting laboratory.
She was accompanied by NASA astronaut Anil Menon, and together they inspected external components and prepared the station’s solar arrays for upcoming maintenance work.
Adenot joined the European Space Agency in 2022 and completed a rigorous training program that qualified her for external station operations. Her background as an engineer and test pilot provided the expertise needed for complex maneuvering outside the ISS.
The event highlights the growing participation of international and female astronauts in space operations and reflects broader access to sophisticated extravehicular tasks among more nations.