NASA and ESA Astronauts Complete Historic Sixth All-Female Spacewalk

NASA's Jessica Meir and ESA's Sophie Adenot conducted the sixth all-female spacewalk in history on September 1, 2026. The extravehicular activity lasted nearly seven hours, during which the duo replaced critical hardware aboard the International Space Station. Meir comes from a marine biology background with expertise in animals that thrive in extreme conditions, while Adenot previously worked as an aerospace engineer and helicopter test pilot. Their achievement underscores how astronauts can arrive at spaceflight through widely different professional routes. The milestone is being seen as a reflection of the growing diversity of expertise and experience within the global astronaut community.