Two astronauts — both women — were slated to make history on March 29 by participating in the first all - female spacewalk . Then their wardrobe got in the way .
consort to theBBC , NASA had to scrub the planned event at theInternational Space Stationbecause of sizing issues related to one of the necessary spacesuits . It was discovered a trivial too belatedly that both astronauts — Christina Koch and Anne McClain — require spacesuits with a intermediate - sized hard upper body . However , only one of the two medium - sized suits had been configure for a spacewalk . So instead of McClain stepping into prohibited place to install batteries at the space station , a male colleague , Nick Hague , will take her plaza alongside Koch .
" Anne civilize in ' M ' and ' litre ' and thought she could use a large but decide after [ last ] Friday ’s spacewalk a medium fits better , " say Stephanie Schierholz , a NASA voice . " In this suit , it ’s easier ( and quicker ! ) to convert outer space - walkers than reconfigure the spacesuit . "
Part of the trouble is that it ’s hard to find a proper fit before an astronaut has actually been in infinite . " Individuals ' sizing indigence may change when they are [ in ] orbit , in response to the change living in microgravity can bring about in a body , " Brandi Dean , a voice for the Johnson Space Center in Houston , toldthe AFP .
In this case , McClain only learned she need a smaller size while doing an literal spacewalk last Friday , pretend her the 13th woman to reach this milepost . Koch will become the fourteenth woman during her planned spacewalk this week .
The news show comes just two calendar week after the head of NASAmade headlinesfor stating that the first astronaut on Mars would likely be a char . NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine also articulate a woman would likely be the next individual to set metrical foot on the Moon .
[ h / tBBC ]
