- On August 18, 2026, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot made history by performing a spacewalk.
- She became the first French woman and the second European woman to undertake a spacewalk.
- She participated in a mission outside the International Space Station (ISS) alongside NASA astronaut Anil Menon, lasting 6 hours and 23 minutes.
- This mission was designated as US Spacewalk 97 (EVA-97). EVA—or Extravehicular Activity—refers to planned operations where astronauts work outside the space station or spacecraft.
- The spacewalk began at 8:29 AM EDT and concluded at 2:52 PM EDT on August 18.
- During the mission, a faulty Space-to-Ground Antenna (SGANT) located on the ISS's Z1 truss was removed and replaced with a new one.
- This antenna plays a crucial role in facilitating high-speed data communication between the space station and Mission Control in Houston.
- However, the process took longer than anticipated due to issues with certain bolts and electrical cables during the antenna replacement.
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