While a previous all-female spacewalk attempt was cancelled – ostensibly due to wrong spacesuit sizes but possibly due to one team member, Anne McClean, being accused of fraud – an all-female extra vehicular activity (EVA) has finally taken place. Christina Koch and Jessica Meir conducted battery change-out activities as part of their EVA on 18 October.
Following depressurisation five minutes earlier, the spacewalk began with the hatch opening at 1137 GMT. During the spacewalk (EVA-58), the pair of astronauts replaced a failed battery charge/discharge unit (BCDU) on P6 2B2 IEA with one taken from ELC 1. The failed BCDU was brought back to the airlock. The spacewalk lasted for 7 hours 17 minutes, with a hatch closing time of 1857 GMT.
All times via Jonathan McDowell.
Christina Koch is held by her feet to the end of the ISS robot arm during the first ever all female spacewalk. Courtesy: NASA TV
