NASA To Conduct First All-Female Spacewalk On October 21

The historical first all-female spacewalk from International Space Station will finally happen on October 21 with the NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir on board. The announcement was made on Friday by NASA managers while discussing the upcoming 10 spacewalks from International Space Station. Earlier, in March, an attempt for an all-female spacewalk with Koch and Ann McClain failed because of spacesuit size issues. The second chance for NASA to create the history is also the fourth of the five of its excursions to install new sets of solar array batteries in International Space Station solar power system.

Key Takeaways:

• NASA will conduct the first all-female spacewalk October 21 with the astronauts  Christina Koch and Jessica Meir.
• Earlier, in March, an attempt for an all-female spacewalk failed because of spacesuit size issues. 
• This will be the fourth of the five of its excursions to install new sets of solar array batteries in International Space Station solar power system.  
• Christina Koch is the 14th woman astronaut to walk in space and Meir will be the 15th after her first spacewalk on October 16 with Andrew Morgan. 

 Spacewalks by women

“Women (at NASA) are part of the team, I see women at every level of leadership, in technical areas as well as management…It is something that’s wonderful to see. But, again, we are so well integrated as a part of the team that it’s not something we struggle with or have to think about on a regular basis.” Said Meghan McArthur, a veteran astronaut and currently the deputy chief of NASA’s astronaut office.

This attempt of the all-female spacewalk by two women is the first since the cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya became the first woman to walk in space in 1984. However, history’s first-ever spacewalk was completed by the Soviet male cosmonaut Alexey Leonov in 1965.

In March, when NASA was going to conduct the first all-female spacewalk, Koch was paired with astronaut Ann McClain. However, in the pretext of spacesuit size issues, Ann MacClain was replaced consensually by the astronaut Nicke Hague.

In March, when NASA was going to conduct the first all-female spacewalk, Koch was paired with astronaut Ann McClain. However, in the pretext of spacesuit size issues, Ann MacClain was replaced consensually by the astronaut Nicke Hague.

Also Read: First All-Female Spacewalks Weren’t Cancelled: Anne McClain, Astronaut

Christina Koch

Christina Koch arrived in the International Space Station her first spaceflight mission on March 14. Staying until February 2020, Koch will become the first woman to have the longest single spaceflight. She will conduct three spacewalks in October. The first will be on October 6 with the astronaut Andrew Morgan. The second spacewalk will also be with Morgan on October 11. The third is the awaited first all-spacewalk on October 21 with the astronaut Jessica Meir. With her first spacewalk on March 29 with Nicke Hague, Koch has already become the 14^th woman to walk in space.

Jessica Meir

Jessica Meir, who dreamt to be an astronaut since her childhood, arrived at the space station earlier this week. Her spacewalk with Koch will be her second spacewalk as an astronaut. The first spacewalk of Meir will be on October 16 with Andrew Morgan when she will become the 15th woman to walk in space. Meir's other feat is already lined up in which she will conduct a spacewalk with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano.

In a tweet with a picture where she is seen hugging Koch after arriving at the International Space Station, Meir writes, “This is how it feels when in addition to your childhood dream being fulfilled by arriving to @Space_Station, you're greeted by your Astro-brothers and sisters on the other side of the hatch.”

“This is how it feels when in addition to your childhood dream being fulfilled by arriving to @Space_Station, you're greeted by your Astro-brothers and sisters on the other side of the hatch.”

This is how it feels when in addition to your childhood dream being fulfilled by arriving to @Space_Station, you’re greeted by your Astro-brothers and sisters on the other side of the hatch. pic.twitter.com/mexDxMdWhd

— Jessica Meir (@Astro_Jessica) September 29, 2019

The current assignment of NASA and the aim of the spacewalk:

NASA has scheduled 10 upcoming spacewalks from International Space Station over the next three months. Announcing the 10 upcoming spacewalks and the pairs of the astronauts, NASA twitted,  “a cadence that has not been experienced since the assembly of the space station was completed in 2011.”

LIVE NOW: Experts provide updates about a series of complex spacewalks by @NASA_Astronauts during the next three months, a cadence that has not been experienced since assembly of the @Space_Station was completed in 2011. Tune in: https://t.co/mzKW5uDsTi. Ask ?s using #AskNASA pic.twitter.com/ny9TYLFN1N

— NASA (@NASA) October 4, 2019

These spacewalks are a subsequent of NASA’s assignment to replace the 48 ageing solar array batteries at the International Space Station’s solar system with 24 more efficient lithium-ion batteries. It also aims at refurbishing the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer which is a scientific instrument to explore the fundamental nature of the universe.

Picture Credit: CNN World

Rudrani Kumari is an intern with SheThePeople.TV

Also Read: Pakistani Astronaut Namira Salim Congratulates ISRO On Chandrayaan 2