For Sophie Adenot, three spacewalks mark the high point of her ISS mission

Sophie Adenot described her three spacewalks as the high point of her first mission aboard the International Space Station, even as she admitted that the work had left her physically drained.

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Lots of positive energy

Speaking to journalists from the station on Wednesday, the 44-year-old French astronaut said she felt “a little bit tired” after completing three extravehicular activities in 15 days. Even holding a pen to take notes had become “painful,” she said.

The experiences remained unforgettable. Looking down at Earth from outside the station, Adenot compared the sensation to “opening a car door and finding your feet at the edge of a cliff.” On her third spacewalk, she served as the lead spacewalker and was the first to step into the void, with Jessica Meir following feet first in a more comfortable position.

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A little bit tired

Adenot carried out the first two spacewalks with American astronaut Anil Menon, replacing a faulty antenna. During the third, she and Meir performed several maintenance tasks at the same time. Adenot said the three outings felt “very, very different,” with the first proving hardest because it meant taking a major leap into the unknown. Confidence grew during the second and third outings, she said, despite the hostile environment.

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Painful

The first French woman to venture into open space also sent schoolchildren “lots of positive energy” as they returned to school. She said difficult subjects and demanding lessons could eventually lead young people toward work and a life they genuinely enjoy.

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Very, very different