Women’s Day Special: NASA Schedules First-Ever All Female Spacewalk

It’s the stuff movies are made of. Ever since the National Women’s Day was celebrated way back in 1909 in USA, women’s rights have seen a remarkable change. But the International Women’s Day celebrations are extra special this year due to this one piece of news that is literally out of this world. For the first time in the history of mankind or let’s say space exploration, an all-women crew is going to hold a spacewalk.

Who All Will Be Part Of The NASA Spacewalk?

While women on earth are trying their best to break the glass ceiling, two NASA astronauts, Christina Koch and Anne McClain will carry out the spacewalk as part of Expedition 59 on March 29. On ground, they will get support from Kristen Facciol, the Canadian Space Agency flight controller at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The Lead Flight Director for the spacewalk is Mary Lawrence while Jackie Kagey will be the lead EVA (spacewalk) flight controller. The spacewalk will be held for a total of 7 hours.

Facciol had announced out the news on Twitter:

I just found out that I’ll be on console providing support for the FIRST ALL FEMALE SPACEWALK with @AstroAnnimal and @Astro_Christina and I can not contain my excitement!!!! #WomenInSTEM #WomenInEngineering #WomenInSpace

— Kristen Facciol (@kfacciol) March 1, 2019

A Combination Of Many Firsts

McClain is part of Expedition 58 on the International Space Station (ISS) at present and Koch will reach the station for Expedition 59 and 60. This will be the first spaceflight for Koch while McClain is going to be in space for the first time. According to NASA, both the women were part of the 2013 class in which half the astronauts were women (yay!) and their applications were part of the second largest number of submissions totalling 6,100. Also, there were 50% women in the most recent class of flight directors.

Get To Know The Astronauts: Christina Hammock Koch

Christina Hammock Koch is an engineer and was earlier the NOAA Station Chief for American Samoa. She holds a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. She has experience in remote scientific field engineering as well as space science instrument development. She was a part of the Firefighting Teams and Ocean/Glacier Search and Rescue Teams in Antarctica at the Palmer Station and Admunsen-Scott South Pole Station.

Get To Know The Astronauts: Anne McClain

Born in 1979, Anne Charlotte McClain is a US Army lieutenant colonel and engineer besides being a NASA astronaut. Aside from her degree in mechanical engineering, she holds a master's in aerospace engineering and international security. She is also a competitive rugby player and was deployed in Iraq. She is a qualified Bell OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter pilot and is the youngest astronaut on the roster of NASA. Whoa!

What’s A Spacewalk Like?

Remember Sandra Bullock’s spacewalk with George Clooney in the 2013 movie Gravity? Well, that’s what astronauts McClain and Koch will be doing together. Spacewalks or extravehicular activities are usually held to conduct experiments outside a spacecraft, test new equipment or to carry out repair work in space. Although it’s called walking but you basically float in space while being attached to the spacecraft and holding onto handrails. At that time, they breathe in 100% oxygen even as all nitrogen from their body is taken out (otherwise they will have body pain). Astronauts train for spacewalks by swimming or via virtual reality sessions.

 

 

 

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The first ever spacewalk was only 10 minutes long and was performed by Russian astronaut Alexei Leonovway back in 1965. With the all-female crew performing the spacewalk on March 29, history will be made once again.

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Top Women Astronauts

Image Courtesy: www.womensdaycelebration.com

• Valentina Tereshkova: She was the first female astronaut to reach outer space
• Sally Ride: She was the first American woman to travel to outer space 
• Mae Jemison: She was the first black woman to reach outer space
• Kalpana Chawla: She was the first Indian female in outer space (Read about her exceptional journey here)
• Elleen Collins: She was the first female space shuttle pilot and commander

Want to read about more stories on women empowerment, feminism or powerful female celebrities that you admire? Then keep reading Her Zindagi and #BeSmart.

Her Zindagi wishes its readers a happy International Women’s Day! Go forth and conquer the world ladies.