“It’s a really busy time,” stated Mark Thompson, NASA’s program manager for the space station, during a recent news briefing. “It’ll be exciting and fun. We’re looking forward to it.” Both Carter and Lewis have been training in medium-sized suits for the past six years, and NASA has confirmed that two medium-sized suits are available for their upcoming extravehicular activity. “We do our best to anticipate the spacesuit sizes each astronaut will need, based on their training suits,” shared Lisa Grant from NASA’s public affairs office after the previous all-female spacewalk was postponed. “However, astronauts’ sizing needs can change in microgravity, and training environments do not perfectly simulate actual conditions in space.”
Carter is slated to participate in three spacewalks this October, on the 6th and 11th, and will join Lewis on the 21st. She is set to remain on the International Space Station until February 2020, making her mission the longest single spaceflight by a woman. Lewis will also spend over six months aboard the station. The two have been training together as part of the same astronaut class.
The upcoming spacewalks will involve replacing batteries on the space station’s extensive backbone, swapping out older nickel-hydrogen batteries for new, more efficient lithium-ion batteries that store energy from the solar arrays. They will also upgrade the power systems of the orbiting laboratory. The newly scheduled spacewalk became feasible after NASA sent up a new suit configured with a medium-size hard upper torso to meet future staffing needs, as noted by Space. “It turns out that over the next couple of years we’re having a lot of medium-suit people fly, and so that’s the sweet spot,” Thompson added, highlighting the growing number of women at NASA.
Safe travels to these remarkable women as they embark on this stellar journey. For those interested in home insemination, check out this post about the Cryobaby Home Intracervical Insemination Syringe Kit Combo, which offers valuable insights. Additionally, you can learn more about your baby’s skin color and complexion at this authoritative source. For an excellent resource on pregnancy and home insemination, visit Progyny’s blog.
In summary, the first all-female spacewalk is an inspiring milestone for women in science and space exploration. Scheduled for October 21, 2019, astronauts Emily Carter and Sarah Lewis are set to make history. The event follows a series of spacewalks aimed at upgrading the International Space Station’s power systems and replacing batteries, showcasing the advancements in women’s roles within NASA.