France's Sophie Adenot Makes History on ISS Spacewalk

Four hundred kilometers above Earth, Sophie Adenot opened the hatch of the International Space Station and stepped into history. "I'm out," the 44-year-old French astronaut said calmly. "I feel very good now."

Adenot became the first French woman to conduct a spacewalk, joining American astronaut Anil Menon for a six-and-a-half hour mission on Tuesday. The duo replaced a critical antenna that keeps the ISS connected to mission control in Houston.

The moment marked more than a national first. Adenot became only the second European woman ever to walk in space, following Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti's 2022 mission.

An engineer and former test pilot, Adenot has been preparing for this moment since February, when she became only the second Frenchwoman in history to fly to space. Pioneer Claudie Haigneré was the first.

NASA footage captured the two spacewalkers chatting and laughing as they worked together in the void. Inside the station, flight engineer Jack Hathaway and commander Jessica Meir monitored their colleagues and operated the robotic arm.

Adenot had been focused and methodical in the days leading up to her historic walk. "A successful spacewalk starts long before the hatch opens, and that's where my focus has been these past few days: rehearsing, preparing and focusing," she wrote on social media Sunday.

Why This Inspires

French President Emmanuel Macron captured what Adenot's achievement represents, calling her "the embodiment of French pride" and "the face of all possibilities." His words reflect a truth beyond national borders: every barrier broken in space makes the next one easier to cross.

Adenot herself emphasized the collaborative nature of space exploration. "While the spacewalkers are the ones out in the spotlight, extravehicular activities are very much a team effort," she wrote after supporting a previous spacewalk from inside the station.

The last French person to walk in space was Thomas Pesquet, who completed six spacewalks over two ISS missions. Now Adenot has added her name to that exclusive list, opening the door wider for those who will follow.