Cape Canaveral, Florida (AP) – After missing out on the opportunity to be part of the first all-female spacecraft due to a space suit sizing issue, I finally got my chance on Thursday.
NASA’s Anne McClain returned from the International Space Station alongside Nichole Ayers. Both military officers and pilots, they made a release to the Orbit Lab in March instead of NASA after two stacked astronauts. Now, I’m back home.
Just moments before floating out, McClain noticed a thread on her right glove’s index finger. Mission Control momentarily postponed the spacecraft’s launch to ensure her gloves were secure.
After nearly six hours outside, they prepared the station for a new solar panel and adjusted the antenna at a height of 260 miles (420 kilometers). They were welcomed back inside by Japanese astronaut Onishi, the commander of the space station.
“We’re thrilled to have you back, and dinner is ready, so no worries,” Onishi said.
On Wednesday evening, the space station was elevated to a slightly higher orbit to avoid space debris from a 20-year-old Chinese rocket.
McClain, an Army colonel and helicopter pilot, was meant to participate in the first all-female spacecraft in 2019; however, the medium-sized suit didn’t fit adequately. The first all-female spacecraft was led by Christina Koch and Jessica Meir. This marked McClain’s fifth space outing over the span of 60 years.
Koch is set to become the first woman to journey to the moon. She, along with three male astronauts, will orbit the moon next year without landing, as part of NASA’s Artemis program, which is a successor to Apollo.
Men still outnumber women within NASA’s astronaut corps.
Out of NASA’s 47 active astronauts, 20 are women. Among the seven astronauts currently aboard the space station, McClain and Ayers are the only females. This was Ayers’ first mission, while it was McClain’s third.
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Source: apnews.com