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NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch have made history today by conducting the first all-female spacewalk outside of the International Space Station in order to make a repair to its solar power network, CNN reports.
The spacewalk officially began at 7:38 am, when the batteries in their spacesuits activated and they exited the airlock. It is set to last approximately 5-6 hours.
According to NASA, the pair have been tasked with replacing a faulty battery charge/discharge unit (BCDU) that was unable to activate earlier this month when new lithium-ion batteries were installed on the station's exterior.
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While the faulty battery has not seen a significant impact, it needs to be repaired nonetheless.
Koch, who will also be completing the longest single spaceflight by a woman as she remains in orbit until February 2020, said female astronauts being able to achieve such milestones was incredibly important.
"There are a lot of people who derive motivation from inspiring stories from people who look like them, and I think that it's an important aspect of the story to tell," she told a NASA briefing in Houston this month. "What we're doing now shows all the work in the decades prior from all the women that worked to get us where we are today," Meir added.
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Kathy Sullivan the first American female spacewalker, who carried out her own mission more than 30 years go said she was very happy to hear about today's milestone.
ANASA spokesperson said: "Our achievements provide inspiration to students around the world, proving that hard work can lead you to great heights, and all students should be able to see themselves in those achievements."
An all-female spacewalk was actually supposed to be conducted back in March. Unfortunately, the mission, which would have involved Koch and fellow NASA astronaut Anne McClain was cancelled as there were not enough spacesuits in the correct size.
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This week, NASA announced that an historic spacewalk involving an all-female astronaut team had to be cancelled... because there weren't enough spacesuits for them. No, this isn't a metaphor for women being held back in the working world, it literally happened.
"With the first in a series of three spacewalks successfully completed at the International Space Station, NASA has updated astronaut assignments for the remaining two spacewalks and will preview the third in an upcoming news conference on NASA Television and the agency’s website," NASA announced yesterday.
One of the astronauts taking part in one of the upcoming spacewalks, Anne McClain, was due to go on a mission along with Christina Koch, but their plans were scuppered thanks to a wardrobe malfunction. Two more women, Mary Lawrence and Jackie Kagey, were also scheduled to take part in the spacewalk from the command centre in Houston.
"Koch had been scheduled to conduct this spacewalk with astronaut McClain, in what would have been the first all-female spacewalk," NASA explained.
"However, after consulting with McClain and [Nick] Hague following the first spacewalk, mission managers decided to adjust the assignments, due in part to spacesuit availability on the station. McClain learned during her first spacewalk that a medium-size hard upper torso – essentially the shirt of the spacesuit – fits her best. Because only one medium-size torso can be made ready by Friday, March 29, Koch will wear it."
Koch will now go on the spacewalk with male astronaut Nick Hague instead, claiming the one spacesuit suitable for the two female astronauts onboard. McClain, meanwhile, will have to wait to go on her next mission - and, again, she'll be accompanied by a male astronaut due to the lack of appropriate kit.
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The mix-up was not entirely NASA's fault, as it was believed that Koch would wear a large-sized suit up until recent preparation for the mission, at which point she realised that it was better for her to wear a medium. The suit could be altered to be a better fit but, with the time that would take and the potential risks that could cause, the team decided it would be better to send another astronaut in McClain's place so that nobody would have to compromise their safety.
In the meantime, though, a lot of people have something to say about the matter.
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The mission, which Koch and Hague will now go on, is to upgrade batteries on the exterior of the space station, and is expected to last seven hours.
NASA has announced the first woman and the first Black astronaut to be assigned to a four-member team lunar mission.
On Monday (April 3), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration unveiled the crew for its first human mission to the Moon at a media event at the Johnson Space Center's Ellington Field in Houston, Texas.
The joint project between the space organization and the Canadian Space Agency will showcase three Americans and one Canadian taking flight.
One of the astronauts included is Christina Koch - an engineer who holds the record for the longest ongoing spaceflight by a woman - and she was named as a mission specialist.
In addition to this, US Navy aviator Victor Glover - who was part of the second crewed flight of a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule - was chosen as the Artemis II pilot. He would become the first astronaut of color to be sent on a lunar mission.
Completing the team are 47-year-old astronaut Reid Wiseman, who will be the mission commander, and also 47-year-old Jeremy Hansen, who is a former fighter pilot now with the Canadian Space Agency.
The three Americans and one Canadian will become the first astronauts to venture into deep space since the Apollo missions ended in 1972. They will voyage around the moon and back to Earth on a 10-day mission preparing for Artemis III.
The organization's aim for the task is to launch a long-term presence on the moon. The flight will launch the agency's Space Launch System rocket, establish the Orion spacecraft's life-support systems and also glance into the abilities and techniques required for humans to live and function in space.
The mission commander shared that the diverse team was made up of "exceptional operators," noting, "We’re just all professional explorers," as cited by News.com.au. He added that they are "representing" their nations.
According to The Mirror, Vanessa Wyche, the director of the Johnson Space Center spoke about the historic assignment and said: "For the first time in more than 50 years, these individuals- the Artemis II crew - will be the first humans to fly to the vicinity of the moon."
"Among the crew are the first woman, the first person of color, and the first Canadian on a lunar mission, and all four astronauts will represent the best of humanity as they explore for the benefit of all," she continued.
"This mission paves the way for the expansion of human deep space exploration and presents new opportunities for scientific discoveries, commercial, industry, and academic partnerships, and the Artemis Generation," she added.
Good luck to the team on this exciting mission!
A tech billionaire has become the first civilian to do a spacewalk, and shared a poignant message back to those on Earth while doing so.
Jared Isaacman, 41, was one of those on board SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule on its current mission to space.
Isaacman came out of the capsule on a tether just before 7AM on Thursday (September 12) to view the Earth from space.
It is the furthest from Earth that a human being has traveled since the Apollo moon missions, over 50 years ago.
The spacewalk was finally able to progress after SpaceX initially delayed the planned start by a few hours.
No explanation has yet been given as to why it was suddenly delayed, however, SpaceX said via Twitter (now X) that "all systems are looking good."
After emerging from the capsule and into space, Isaacman shared a poignant message, saying: "Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world."
After around 15 minutes outside, Isaacman was replaced by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, who was then slated to be followed by two other members of the crew - engineer Anna Menon and former Air Force Thunderbirds pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet.
The spacewalk itself was scheduled to last around 30 minutes, with the full procedure to prepare and finish safely expected to take around two hours, with the experience being live streamed by SpaceX.
Before the crew was allowed to open the hatch and leave the vessel, they were seen waiting inside for the capsule to be completely depressurized.
The crew left Earth on Tuesday for the mission, which is expected to last five days until they return.
Isaacman, who is the CEO and founder of the credit card processing company Shift4, had helped to design the new SpaceX suits he and the crew were wearing for the mission.
Officials had confirmed that Isaacman would be able to leave the capsule but remain tethered to it, keeping at least one hand or foot on it to ensure his safety.
At present, longer spacewalks which are untethered are only able to be done wearing NASA space suits, which are equipped with jet packs for astronauts to be able to propel themselves back to safety.
The Crew Dragon does not have a pressurized airlock, meaning that all of the crew were required to wear the new spacesuits to protect themselves from vacuum conditions while on the mission.
The spacewalk took place once the capsule reached a distance of almost 870 miles above Earth, far past the location of the International Space Station and surpassing the Earth-lapping record set by NASA's Project Gemini in 1966.
It is the first time a civilian has been able to achieve such a feat, which has previously only been completed by trained professional astronauts.
Only the 24 astronauts who were part of the Apollo mission who flew to the moon have been further into space.
This mission has marked a significant step in space tourism, and while for most it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Isaacman purchased three trips from SpaceX founder Elon Musk in 2022.
It is not known how much he paid for the trips, but he was also among the first group of space tourists who were taken up in 2021, with Isaacman setting a record by being the first space tourist to circle the Earth without having a professional astronaut on board.
A female astronaut who was launched into space at 2300mph has released footage of her amazing journey.
Back in November, Jeff Bezos’s company Blue Origin made history by sending Emily Calandrelli into space, making her the 100th woman to achieve the feat, per the Guardian.
She was one of six "space tourists" aboard the New Shepard spacecraft for its ninth human test flight, a milestone that should have been a moment of celebration.
However, when Blue Origin posted footage of the mission, the achievement was quickly tainted by misogynistic comments.
The video, which showed Calandrelli floating weightlessly and gazing in awe out of the spacecraft window as she gasped: "Oh my God, this is space," was eventually taken down by the company due to the flood of inappropriate remarks.
While many congratulated the MIT engineer on her historic flight, trolls surfaced with crude, sexualized jokes about women in space.
Reflecting on the moment, Calandrelli likened the experience to the overwhelming emotions of motherhood.
"I didn’t expect to see so much space, and I kept saying that’s our planet! That’s our planet! It was the same feeling I got when my kids were born, and I was like, 'That’s my baby!'" she shared.
The onslaught of negativity took its toll, and Calandrelli admitted that the comments deeply affected her.
She spent the flight home texting her "space sisters" and crying in her seat, struggling to process the unwarranted hate.
She later addressed the trolls directly, refusing to let their words diminish her experience.
"I refuse to give much time to the small men on the internet. I feel experiences in my soul. It’s a trait I got from my father. We feel every emotion deeply and what a beautiful way that is to experience life. This joy is tattooed on my heart," she wrote.
Now, she’s reclaiming the narrative by sharing a 16-minute video on YouTube titled My Blue Origin Flight to Space.
The footage documents everything from her astronaut training to the breathtaking moment she looked down at Earth from 62 miles away.
This time, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
"Watching this made me cry. You are a role model for so many. Please don’t listen to the trolls and keep reaching for the stars. You are inspiring people big and small," one viewer wrote.
Another added: "Sitting here confused as hell as to why there were tears coming out of my eyes, then came to the comments and realized I'm not going crazy. Thank you for reminding us how amazing we are as human beings. One of the best pieces of content I've ever seen. Give us more!"
A third shared an especially touching message: "I just showed this to my 5th grade class. They were blown away. Thank you for creating opportunities for classrooms to have great discussions about remarkable things."
From Valentina Tereshkova in 1963 to Calandrelli in 2024, it's amazing to see women continuing to inspire people.
Katy Perry has completed a space flight aboard Blue Origin among an all-female crew.
On Monday, a crew of six including Perry, author Lauren Sanchez, who is dating the Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos; TV host Gayle King; civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen; former rocket scientist Aisha Bowe; and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn, took off from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas.
Their flight lasted around 11 minutes, soaring 100 kilometers above the Earth - enough to officially enter space.
The crew were heard screaming in excitement and marveling at the sighs they could see before they landed in a "picture-perfect" landing back on Earth.
Prior to taking off, the 40-year-old singer gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at the capsule that was set to carry her into space.
Perry took to Instagram to share a first glimpse inside the capsule, showing off the tight-knit space that will house all six women during the flight.
“I think I’m gonna sing,” she said in the video. “I’ve got to sing in space!” She added: “These are all of my astronaut girly friends,” as she panned the camera across the capsule’s interior.
Ahead of today's latest mission, concerns about the safety of the Blue Origin capsule had reemerged.
Back in 2021, a group of 21 current and former employees raised alarms about the safety of the New Shepard rocket used for suborbital flights like this one.
“In the opinion of an engineer who has signed on to this essay, ‘Blue Origin has been lucky that nothing has happened so far,’” the employees wrote in a letter published by Business Insider. “Many of this essay’s authors say they would not fly on a Blue Origin vehicle.”
While space flight remains one of the riskiest modes of transportation, with approximately one percent of US space flights resulting in fatalities, Blue Origin defended the integrity of its program in response.
“We stand by our safety record and believe that New Shepard is the safest space vehicle ever designed or built,” the company said at the time.
The company’s safety record was further tested in August 2022 when an unmanned rocket suffered an engine nozzle malfunction, forcing the capsule to abort mid-flight and parachute to safety. The incident led to a temporary grounding of flights.
Despite the concerns, Perry had revealed she was placing her faith in a higher power.
On Instagram, she shared an emotional story about her connection to the capsule’s design and reflected on what she believes are signs from the universe confirming her decision to go to space.
“When I was invited to come on this voyage, I looked up the capsule. On the very front of it is the outline in the shape of a feather, and when I saw that, it was like a total confirmation because my mum has always called me feather,” she said.
The 'Teenage Dream' songstress continued: "And so I’m in space training today, and there’s a lot to digest. We’re almost finished with the day, and they showed us the capsule, and we ran simulations in another capsule and tested the noise and what to expect and all these different things, and they reveal the capsule name.
“The capsule’s name is Tortoise. A wave, just the most energetic wave, just shot through my body. And I was like, ‘What? This capsule’s name is Tortoise?'" she said. “My mum calls me two nicknames. Feather and tortoise. What are the chances that I’m going to space on a rocket in a capsule with my symbol, the feather, called Tortoise?”
“There are no coincidences,” Perry added. “And I’m just so grateful for these confirmations and so grateful that I feel like something bigger than me is steering the ship.”
This will be the 11th human flight for Blue Origin’s space program, which began sending passengers - including Bezos himself - to space in 2021.
The company also holds a NASA contract to build a lunar lander for an upcoming Artemis mission aimed at returning astronauts to the Moon.
Congratulations to this latest groundbreaking crew on their successful space flight.
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