One giant leap for womankind: Two NASA to make history this month in first ALL-FEMALE spacewalk

On March 29, in the last minutes of twilight before the sun rises over the United States, two NASA astronauts will embark on a history-making excursion outside the International Space Station.

If all goes as scheduled, Expedition 59 astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch will lead a roughly seven-hour spacewalk to attend tasks on the orbiting lab’s exterior, starting at 6:30 a.m. (ET).

It’s a routine outing, and the first of three planned for this particular series, but this one is special for reasons beyond the mission itself – it’s the first ever all-female spacewalk.

Scroll down for video 

If all goes as scheduled, Expedition 59 astronauts Anne McClain (left) and Christina Koch (right) will lead a roughly seven-hour spacewalk to attend tasks on the orbiting lab’s exterior, starting at 6:30 a.m. (ET). McClain is already on the ISS as part of Expedition 58

NASA Flight Controller Kristen Facciol sparked international excitement at the beginning of this month when she tweeted her elation at being assigned to assist the spacewalk from the ground.

‘I just found out that I’ll be on console providing support for the FIRST ALL FEMALE SPACEWALK,’ Facciol wrote.

The space agency has since confirmed the landmark plans.

When astronauts McClain and Koch step outside the ISS on March 29, it will be just shy of 35 years since the first woman walked in space – a milestone set by cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya on July 25, 1984.

And, their efforts will be supported by a team of women on the ground, too.

In addition to Facciol, the spacewalk will have NASA’s Mary Lawrence as its Lead Flight Director and Jackie Kagey as the EVA (spacewalk) flight controller, a NASA spokesperson told CNN.

‘As currently scheduled, the March 29 spacewalk will be the first with only women,’ NASA spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz told CNN.

‘It was not orchestrated to be this way; these spacewalks were originally scheduled to take place in the fall,’ Schierholz added.

More than 60 women have made the journey to space since Valentina Tereshkova became the first to do so in 1963 – just two years after the first man.

ALSO READ  Bionic arm combines intuitive motor control, touch and grip for the first time

A routine outing scheduled for March 29, and the first of three planned for this particular series, is special for reasons beyond the mission itself – it’s the first ever all-female spacewalk. File photo of the ISS

In 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to go to space during her historic flight on the space shuttle Challenger.

A decade later, mission specialist Mae Jemison became the first black woman in space, aboard the space shuttle Endeavour.

And, the milestones have continued to pile up since.

As the Canadian flight controller put it, social media has now ‘exploded with excitement over women doing awesome things in space.’  But, Facciol added, ‘here’s hoping this will be the norm one day!’