Astronaut Sophie Adenot poised for historic spacewalk in August

French astronaut Sophie Adenot, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), could perform a spacewalk in August, a potential first for a French woman. While the announcement is not yet official, a NASA animation video shared during a press conference on Thursday depicted the astronaut undertaking one of three spacewalks scheduled by the agency for August.

"We will announce the composition of the crew for the extravehicular activity as it approaches. I know it was already in the video we just talked about, but we will make the official announcement soon," stated Bill Spetch, a NASA official. He added that the agency would provide updates after the first spacewalk, planned for August 6 and involving two American astronauts.

If Adenot is confirmed for one of the subsequent spacewalks on August 13 or August 25, she would become the second European woman to achieve this feat, following Italy's Samantha Cristoforetti. During these extravehicular activities, astronauts in spacesuits will perform various operations outside the orbital laboratory. The August 13 spacewalk aims to replace an antenna crucial for the station's communication with Houston, while the August 25 mission focuses on maintenance.

Adenot, 44, became the second French woman in space in February, after Claudie Haigneré. The last Frenchman to walk in space was Thomas Pesquet, who completed six spacewalks during his two stays on the ISS.

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We will announce the composition of the crew for the extravehicular activity as it approaches. I know it was already in the video we just talked about, but we will make the official announcement soon.