French astronaut Sophie Adenot stepped outside the International Space Station on Tuesday, September 1, at approximately 2:45 p.m. for her third spacewalk in just two weeks. This time, she is leading an all-female team alongside American astronaut Jessica Meir.
After completing two previous extravehicular activities (EVAs) with American astronaut Anil Menon, Adenot is now working in tandem with Meir outside the orbital laboratory. The two women share a strong bond, having launched together to the space station on February 13 as part of NASA’s Crew-12 mission after months of joint preparation.
Meir, who is performing her seventh spacewalk, made history in 2019 when she completed the first all-female EVA alongside Christina Koch. Koch recently gained further recognition for her participation in NASA’s Artemis 2 mission around the Moon.
Technical Tasks and Mission Objectives
The spacewalk is expected to last approximately six and a half hours. During this time, Adenot and Meir will replace a retroreflector used to facilitate vehicle navigation during rendezvous and docking operations. They will also prepare a cosmic particle detector for future upgrades, install liaison cables to strengthen data relay systems, and replace a high-definition camera located on the station’s truss.
Adenot shared an unexpected glimpse into her preparation on Instagram, posting a photo of a small handmade paper model floating inside the ISS. The model helped her visualize the worksite before venturing outside.
A Rapid Series of Spacewalks
This marks Adenot’s third EVA in under two weeks. Her first spacewalk on August 18 made her the first French female astronaut to venture into the vacuum of space. She followed up with a second EVA on August 25. For this third outing, Adenot serves as the crew member 1 and leader of the duo, wearing a spacesuit with red stripes to distinguish her role.
In an interview with France 24 and RFI following her second spacewalk, the 44-year-old astronaut admitted to feeling “a bit sore” but proud of her “mission accomplished.” While her first operation in the void was a mix of “intense joy” and “apprehension,” Adenot acknowledged feeling “pressure” before the second EVA due to technical difficulties encountered while replacing a faulty antenna.
“Psychologically, mentally, it’s a great victory,” Adenot explained, describing the spacesuit as “a beast to tame.” She detailed the physical toll of spacewalking: “Every movement is tiring. Every movement of the arm, of the hand, holding an object — it’s an incredible energy expenditure.”
Words of Encouragement from a Trailblazer
Adenot revealed she received an encouraging email from former French astronaut Claudie Haigneré, who has been a source of inspiration and unwavering support since the beginning of her journey. “She told me, ‘Sophie, trust, trust the teams, trust everything you have learned, trust the procedures, trust your cables that connect you to the station, trust the cables that connect the tools to your bag.’ I really held on to that advice,” Adenot said.
Having been in orbit 400 kilometers above Earth for six and a half months, Sophie Adenot is scheduled to complete her mission in the autumn.
