European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot made history on 18 August 2026 by performing a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS). She became the first French woman and second European woman to perform a spacewalk.

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• Historic Achievement: Sophie Adenot became the first French woman and second European woman to perform a spacewalk.
• Spacewalk Partner: She conducted the spacewalk alongside NASA astronaut Anil Menon.
• U.S. Spacewalk 97: The mission was U.S. Spacewalk 97 and lasted 6 hours and 23 minutes.
• Main Objective: The main objective was to replace the failed Space-to-Ground Antenna (SGANT) on the ISS Z1 truss.
• SGANT Antenna: The antenna provides high-speed data communication between the ISS and Mission Control in Houston.
• Technical Delay: Stuck bolts and electrical cables caused delays during the antenna replacement.
• Failed Antenna: Mission Control instructed the astronauts to secure the failed antenna using a long-duration tie-down.
• ISS Record: The mission marked the 282nd spacewalk in the history of ISS assembly, maintenance and upgrades.
• Next Spacewalk: Sophie Adenot and Anil Menon are scheduled for EVA-98 on 25 August 2026.