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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/oct/18/nasa-all-female-spacewalk-christina-koch-jessica-meir
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| Nasa astronauts begin first ever all-female spacewalk | Nasa astronauts begin first ever all-female spacewalk |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two Nasa astronauts have embarked on the first all-female space walk in a historic first. | Two Nasa astronauts have embarked on the first all-female space walk in a historic first. |
| Christina Koch and Jessica Meir floated feet-first out of the International Space Station’s Quest airlock on Friday lunchtime UK time, tasked with replacing a failed power control unit. | Christina Koch and Jessica Meir floated feet-first out of the International Space Station’s Quest airlock on Friday lunchtime UK time, tasked with replacing a failed power control unit. |
| The spacewalk, known as an extra-vehicular activity (EVA) in astronaut jargon, took place seven months after the original planned date for an all-female outing, which had to be scrapped because the ISS had only one medium-sized spacesuit on board. The agency sent up a second medium spacesuit in October. | The spacewalk, known as an extra-vehicular activity (EVA) in astronaut jargon, took place seven months after the original planned date for an all-female outing, which had to be scrapped because the ISS had only one medium-sized spacesuit on board. The agency sent up a second medium spacesuit in October. |
| Nasa unveils spacesuits to be worn by first woman on the moon | Nasa unveils spacesuits to be worn by first woman on the moon |
| “I think it’s important because of the historical nature of what we’re doing,” Koch said ahead of the spacewalk. “In the past, women haven’t always been at the table. It’s wonderful to be contributing to the space program at a time when all contributions are being accepted, when everyone has a role. That can lead in turn to increased chance for success.” | “I think it’s important because of the historical nature of what we’re doing,” Koch said ahead of the spacewalk. “In the past, women haven’t always been at the table. It’s wonderful to be contributing to the space program at a time when all contributions are being accepted, when everyone has a role. That can lead in turn to increased chance for success.” |
| Koch, who has been on the ISS since March, was first out of the hatch, followed by Meir, carrying a tool bag. During the spacewalk, expected to last five and a half hours, the astronauts will remain attached to handrails on the exterior of the ISS using harnesses and pairs of metal carabiners. These are sequentially clipped and unclipped to ensure that the astronauts cannot float off into space. | |
| Tracy Caldwell Dyson, a Nasa astronaut who completed three spacewalks as part of the Expedition 24 crew on the ISS in 2010, said: “This is significant … As much as it’s worth celebrating, many of us are looking forward to it just being normal.” | Tracy Caldwell Dyson, a Nasa astronaut who completed three spacewalks as part of the Expedition 24 crew on the ISS in 2010, said: “This is significant … As much as it’s worth celebrating, many of us are looking forward to it just being normal.” |
| Previously, 14 women and 213 men have carried out spacewalks. The first woman was the Russian cosmonaut, Svetlana Savitskaya, who went outside the Soviet Union’s Salyut 7 space station in 1984. | |
| On Tuesday, Nasa unveiled the prototype for a new spacesuit that could be worn by the next crew, expected to include a woman, to land on the moon. The suit is designed to give a customised fit to the individual astronaut, whatever their shape or size. | On Tuesday, Nasa unveiled the prototype for a new spacesuit that could be worn by the next crew, expected to include a woman, to land on the moon. The suit is designed to give a customised fit to the individual astronaut, whatever their shape or size. |
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