Sophie Adenot Becomes First French Woman to Walk in Space

European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot became the first French woman and the second European woman to perform a spacewalk on 18 August 2026. She carried out U.S. Spacewalk 97 outside the International Space Station with NASA astronaut Anil Menon during a 6-hour and 23-minute extravehicular activity.

Spacewalk and Extravehicular Activity

An extravehicular activity, or EVA, is a planned operation in which astronauts work outside a spacecraft. EVA-97 began at 8:29 a.m. EDT and ended at 2:52 p.m. EDT on 18 August 2026.

International Space Station Communication Systems

The main task of the spacewalk was to replace a failed Space-to-Ground antenna, or SGANT, on the ISS Z1 truss. The SGANT provides a communication link for high-speed data transfer between the International Space Station and Mission Control in Houston.

Stuck bolts and electrical cables delayed the installation of the replacement antenna. Mission Control instructed the astronauts to secure the failed unit with a long-duration tie-down before ending the spacewalk.

ISS Support Operations

NASA commander Jessica Meir and flight engineer Jack Hathaway assisted from inside the ISS during the EVA. They helped the spacewalkers into their suits and operated the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

The mission was completed as the 282nd spacewalk in the history of ISS assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

Important Facts for Exams

• The International Space Station is a multinational orbital laboratory operated through cooperation among space agencies.
• Canadarm2 is a robotic arm used on the ISS for assembly, maintenance, and cargo handling tasks.
• The Z1 truss is a structural component of the ISS that supports station systems and equipment.
• Extravehicular activity is the technical term used for a spacewalk outside a spacecraft or space station.

Next Scheduled Spacewalk

The European Space Agency announced that Sophie Adenot and Anil Menon will return for EVA-98 on 25 August 2026. The second spacewalk is planned to complete installation of the spare SGANT antenna.