A LEAP FOR WOMANKIND
NASA duo in 1st all-female spacewalk
Two female US astronauts floated into the history books on Friday as the world’s first allwoman spacewalking team.
Jessica Meir and Christina Koch strolled into the void while tethered to the International Space Station 250 miles above Earth to replace a broken battery charger as their four male colleagues remained inside.
The outing — which marked the first time in Earthlings’ half-century of spacewalking that men weren’t part of the action — lasted seven hours and was beamed out live over NASA’s Web site.
Among those watching was President Trump, who placed a call to the pair during the final moments of their spacewalk.
“We are thrilled to be speaking live with two American astronauts who are making history, joining us during their spacewalk outside of the International Space Station,” said Trump, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
“I don’t think I want to do it, I must tell you that,” the president told the astronauts jokingly. “But you are amazing people.” Meir was humble in her reply. “We don’t want to take too much credit because there have been many others — female spacewalkers — before us,” she said. “This is just the first time that there have been two women outside at the same time.”
The two women used wrenches, screwdrivers and power-grip tools to replace a faulty 19-year-old charge-regulating device for one of three batteries installed last week by Koch and astronaut Andrew Morgan.
It was the fourth spacewalk for Koch, who could be distinguished by the red stripes on her suit and whose helmet-camera video feed bore the number 18.
It was the first for Meir, whose video bore the number 11.
Attached by a red tether, Koch, 40, originally from Michigan, was the first to venture out. She is in the seventh month of an 11-month mission — which, if completed, would be the longest for any woman.
Meir, 42, a Maine native, followed minutes later, stepping out with a tool bag. She started her six-month mission late last month.
NASA had originally planned an all-female spacewalk last spring, but one of the assigned women, astronaut Anne McClain, found the spacesuit she was to wear did not fit properly, and there were no other medium sizes available. She was replaced by a man.