NASA astronaut becomes first Native American woman to conduct spacewalk

Nicole Mann became the first Native American woman to complete a spacewalk.

Mann conducted the spacewalk with Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata on Friday. They spent more than 7 hours working on a platform where solar arrays will be installed later this year, NASA said.

“The installation is part of a series of spacewalks to augment the International Space Station’s power channels with new iROSAsn” NASA stated. “Four iROSAs have been installed so far, and two more will be mounted to the platforms installed during this spacewalk in the future.”

This was the 258th spacewalk at the International Space Station and the first of 2023.

Mann arrived at the International Space Station in October. She is expected to spend six months in space working aboard the microgravity lab.

Mann is a member of the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes.

By Scripps News.