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NASA, ESA Astronauts Complete Sixth All-Female Spacewalk
NASA's Jessica Meir and ESA's Sophie Adenot completed the sixth all-female spacewalk on September 1, 2026, replacing a docking reflector and an HD camera on the ISS. The six-hour-49-minute excursion also included preparing the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer for maintenance, despite a late-stage spacesuit mobility issue for Adenot.
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Historic Spacewalk Completed
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot completed the sixth all-female spacewalk on September 1, 2026, stepping outside the International Space Station (ISS) for six hours and 49 minutes. The two astronauts replaced a spacecraft docking aid and an HD camera, as well as carrying out maintenance and scientific tasks, according to reports from Space and The Times of India.
The spacewalk began from the S. Quest airlock at 8:40 m. EDT (1240 GMT). Meir and Adenot first replaced the planar deflector on the forward port of the station's Harmony Node 2 module. This retroreflector supports navigation during rendezvous and docking operations by visiting spacecraft. The older reflector had become coated in thruster residue from earlier spacecraft arrivals and departures.
They then replaced the Camera Port 3 (CP3) high-definition camera mounted on the station's truss. "And it's off!" Meir reported after freeing the spent camera assembly, a comment met by applause in Mission Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Maintenance and Science Tasks
Following the camera replacement, Adenot continued an ongoing scientific study by swabbing areas on the exterior of the airlock and her gloves for possible microorganisms. Meir rode one end of the Canadarm2 robotic arm to a site near the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), torquing 46 bolts in preparation for future maintenance of the particle physics detector. She also relocated power and thermal jumper cables and an articulating portable foot restraint for use on a later spacewalk.
The AMS is a $2 billion particle physics experiment mounted to the exterior of the ISS that studies cosmic rays and hunts for dark matter, among other tasks, as noted by Space in its pre-spacewalk coverage.
Spacesuit Mobility Issue
Toward the end of the EVA, Adenot reported losing mobility in her left shoulder joint. Erring on the side of caution, Mission Control asked her to remain where she was until Meir could reach her. Once inside the airlock, Meir inspected Adenot's spacesuit and freed what appeared to be a cable caught near the shoulder joint. Meir explained: "I think it was where the cable got caught in between the shoulder MLI and the rotation [joint]. I don't think it was held up by anything but some friction."
The two astronauts completed the spacewalk at 4:29 m. EDT (2029 GMT).
Career Milestones
Tuesday's spacewalk was Meir's seventh, placing her third among female NASA astronauts for total number of spacewalks, with 49 hours and 22 minutes of spacewalking time, trailing only Peggy Whitson (10 spacewalks) and Suni Williams (nine), according to NASA statistics cited by Space and The Times of India. Adenot's third spacewalk brought her total to 19 hours and 42 minutes in the vacuum of space, as reported by Space.
Adenot two weeks earlier became the first French woman to perform an extravehicular activity, Space reported. Her path to space included aerospace engineering studies at ISAE-SUPAERO in Toulouse, a master's degree in human factors engineering from MIT, and service as a helicopter test pilot in the French Air Force, according to ESA information carried by The Times of India.
Meir's background, as detailed in NASA's official astronaut biography, included a doctorate in Marine Biology from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, research on emperor penguins in Antarctica, and selection as an astronaut in 2013. She first flew to the ISS in 2019 and was part of the first all-female spacewalk alongside Christina Koch, The Times of India reported.
How each outlet told it
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Framing: highlights the all-female nature of the spacewalk and both tasks completed, with a positive ('successful') assessment — celebratory and appreciative
Framing: The headline emphasizes the novelty and historical nature of the event, specifically the all-female aspect and count — informative and celebratory
Facts Included:
Two astronauts will conduct history's sixth all-female spacewalk today ( Sept. 1)
NASA's Jessica Meir and Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency will venture outside the International Space Station ( ISS) at around .................................8:30
Coverage will start at ................................7:00
During today's spacewalk, Meir and Adenot will replace a retroreflector on the forward port of the space station's Harmony module to support spacecraft navigation during rendezvousand docking operations
After installing the reflector, the crew will work to install jumper cables for the data-relay systems, prepare the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer's radiator for future maintenance, and replace a high-definition camera on the station's truss
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer is a $2 billion particle physics experiment mounted to the exterior of the ISS that studies cosmic rays and hunts for mysterious dark matter, among other
Adenot will be "crew member 1" on today's spacewalk and will wear a suit with red stripes
Meir will wear an unmarked suit and serve as"crew member 2."
It will be the third spacewalk for Adenot, who two weeks ago became the first French woman ever to perform an extravehicular activity ( EVA
It will be the seventh for Meir, which will put her third among female NASA astronauts behind Peggy Whitson(10 EVAs) and Suni Williams( nine
Two astronauts replaced a spacecraft docking aid and a video camera during a successful spacewalk outside of the International Space Station on Tuesday (Sept. ̈1)
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot got through most of the tasks set out for them even in light of Adenot's spacesuit developing a mobility issue late in the extravehicular activity
The spacewalk lasted six hours and 49 minutes
The spacewalk began from the Quest airlock at 8:40 EDT (1240 GMT)
The astronauts replaced the planar deflector on the forward port of the station's Harmony Node 2
The retroreflector is used to support navigation during rendezvous and docking operations by visiting spacecraft
The older reflector that they replaced had become coated in thruster residue from earlier spacecraft arrivals and departures
They also replaced the Camera Port 3 (CP3) high-definition (HD) camera on the station's truss
Meir reported 'And it's off' after freeing the spent camera assembly
Her words were met by applause in Mission Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center
Adenot swabbed areas on the exterior of the airlock and her gloves for possible microorganisms
Meir torqued 46 bolts in preparation for future maintenance of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
Meir relocated power and thermal jumper cables and an articulating portable foot restraint
Toward the end of the EVA, Adenot reported losing mobility in her left shoulder joint
Mission Control called for Adenot to wait until Meir could follow her back to the airlock
Meir unzipped a portion of Adenot's EMU's upper arm assembly to inspect, freeing the kink that had limited Adenot's motion
Meir said: 'I think it was where the cable got caught in between the shoulder MLI and the rotation [joint]. I don't think it was held up by anything but some friction'
The two astronauts completed the EVA at 4:29 m (2029 GMT)
Tuesday's spacewalk was Meir's seventh and Adenot's third
Meir now ranks third among all women astronauts at NASA for total number of spacewalks, with 49 hours and 22 minutes
Meir trails only Peggy Whitson with 10 spacewalks and Suni Williamsat 9
Adenot now has spent 19 hours and ̈42 minutes working in the vacuum of space
Framing: The headline emphasizes the astronauts behind the historic all-female spacewalk, highlighting their individual identities.
Facts Included:
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot made history with the sixth all-female spacewalk, stepping outside the International Space Station on September 1, 2026.
The 6-hour-and-49-minute mission involved replacing a spacecraft docking aid and an HD camera, along with carrying out maintenance and scientific tasks.
According to NASA's official astronaut biography, Meir earned a bachelor's degree in Biology from Brown University, a master's degree in Space Studies from the International Space University, and a doctorate in Marine Biology from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.
Her research included studying emperor penguins in Antarctica, elephant seals in California and bar-headed geese, which can fly at extremely high altitudes.
NASA selected Meir as an astronaut in 2013.
She first travelled to the International Space Station in 2019 and subsequently became part of the crew that conducted the first all-female spacewalk, alongside NASA astronaut Christina Koch.
The September 1 mission was Meir's seventh spacewalk.
According to NASA, she has now accumulated 49 hours and 22 minutes of spacewalking time, placing her among NASA's most experienced female spacewalkers.
The European Space Agency says she studied aerospace engineering at ISAE-SUPAERO in Toulouse, specialising in spacecraft and aircraft flight dynamics.
She later earned a master's degree in human factors engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where her research examined how the human vestibular system adapts to artificial gravity.
Adenot then joined the French Air Force and trained as a helicopter pilot.
According to ESA, she graduated with honours as a helicopter test pilot from the Empire Test Pilots' School in the United Kingdom in 2018.
ESA selected her as an astronaut in 2022, and she completed her basic astronaut training in 2024.
She travelled to the International Space Station for the first time in February 2026 as part of her first space mission, known as the Epsilon mission.
The September 1 EVA was her third spacewalk.
During the spacewalk, Meir and Adenot successfully replaced the docking-navigation reflector on the ISS's Harmony module and replaced Camera Port 3, an HD camera mounted on the station's truss.
Late in the EVA, Adenot experienced reduced mobility in her left shoulder.
Mission Control asked her to remain where she was until Meir could reach her.
Once they returned to the airlock, Meir inspected Adenot's spacesuit and freed what appeared to be a cable caught near the shoulder joint.
Meir announced, "And it's off!"
Her comment was followed by applause from Mission Control.
Meir's journey demonstrates how biology and scientific research can lead to a career in human spaceflight, while Adenot's story shows how aerospace engineering, military aviation and human-factors research can converge in an astronaut career.
Together, their journeys highlight a defining feature of modern space exploration: there is no single route to becoming an astronaut.
Scientific expertise, engineering knowledge, aviation experience, resilience, adaptability and teamwork can all lead to the same destination: the frontier beyond Earth.
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimNASA astronaut Jessica Meir and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot performed the sixth all-female spacewalk on September 1, 2026.
ClaimDuring the spacewalk, Meir and Adenot replaced the docking-navigation reflector on the ISS's Harmony module and replaced Camera Port 3, an HD camera mounted on the station's truss.
ClaimJessica Meir earned a bachelor's degree in Biology from Brown University, a master's degree in Space Studies from the International Space University, and a doctorate in Marine Biology from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.
ClaimJessica Meir's research included studying emperor penguins in Antarctica, elephant seals in California and bar-headed geese, which can fly at extremely high altitudes.
ClaimAccording to NASA, Jessica Meir has accumulated 49 hours and 22 minutes of spacewalking time, placing her among NASA's most experienced female spacewalkers.
ClaimSophie Adenot earned a master's degree in human factors engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where her research examined how the human vestibular system adapts to artificial gravity.
ClaimAccording to ESA, Sophie Adenot graduated with honours as a helicopter test pilot from the Empire Test Pilots' School in the United Kingdom in 2018.
ClaimSophie Adenot travelled to the International Space Station for the first time in February 2026 as part of her first space mission, known as the Epsilon mission.
ClaimOnce they returned to the airlock, Jessica Meir inspected Sophie Adenot's spacesuit and freed what appeared to be a cable caught near the shoulder joint.
ClaimJessica Meir's journey demonstrates how biology and scientific research can lead to a career in human spaceflight, while Sophie Adenot's story shows how aerospace engineering, military aviation and human-factors research can converge in an astronaut career.
ClaimScientific expertise, engineering knowledge, aviation experience, resilience, adaptability and teamwork can all lead to the same destination: the frontier beyond Earth.
ClaimDuring the September 1 spacewalk, Meir and Adenot will replace a retroreflector on the forward port of the space station's Harmony module to support spacecraft navigation during rendezvousand docking operations.
ClaimAfter installing the reflector, the crew will work to install jumper cables for the data-relay systems, prepare the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer's radiator for future maintenance, and replace a high-definition camera on the station's truss.
ClaimThe Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer is a $2 billion particle physics experiment mounted to the exterior of the ISS that studies cosmic rays and hunts for mysterious dark matter, among other tasks.
ClaimAs of September 1, Jessica Meir ranked third among female NASA astronauts in total spacewalks, behind Peggy Whitson(10 EVAs)and Suni Williams( nine EVAs).
ClaimThe older reflector replaced during the September 1 spacewalk had become coated in thruster residue from earlier spacecraft arrivals and departures.
ClaimMeir said: 'I think it was where the cable got caught in between the shoulder MLI and the rotation [joint]. I don't think it was held up by anything but some friction.'