Sophie Adenot’s first spacewalk

ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot is scheduled to perform her inaugural spacewalk on 18 August 2026 as part of U.S. Spacewalk 97. The extravehicular activity will involve replacing a Space-to-Ground antenna on the International Space Station, a key component for maintaining high-speed data and voice communications with Mission Control in Houston. The operation is essential for ensuring reliable contact between the station and ground teams during ongoing and future missions.

Adenot will be joined by NASA astronaut Anil Menon for the spacewalk, marking a collaborative effort between ESA and NASA. The task requires precise coordination and technical expertise to remove the faulty antenna and install its replacement while working in the vacuum of space. Both astronauts have undergone extensive training to prepare for the challenges of extravehicular activities.

Live coverage of the spacewalk will begin at 13:00 CEST on ESA WebTV and the ESA’s YouTube channel, with the spacewalk itself expected to start around 14:35 CEST. Viewers can watch the entire procedure as it unfolds, including the astronauts’ preparation, deployment, and any technical adjustments made during the operation.

The replacement of the Space-to-Ground antenna is part of routine maintenance to sustain the ISS’s operational capabilities. This upgrade ensures continued high-bandwidth communication for scientific experiments, crew operations, and real-time data transmission, which are vital for the station’s functionality and future missions.