Sophie Adenot's Three Spacewalks: What Happens Outside the ISS

When you look up tonight and spot that silent point of light gliding across the sky overhead, pause for a moment to consider the razor-thin margin separating life from the void. As the International Space Station completes another orbit above our cities, European astronaut Sophie Adenot has wrapped up a demanding series of three spacewalks, taking human work to the most hostile environment imaginable. Watching the station pass by from your terrace is awe-inspiring; knowing that human beings are suspended in the abyss up there while traveling at thousands of kilometers per hour completely changes how you gaze at the stars.

What Happened

French astronaut Sophie Adenot, a member of the European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut corps, has successfully completed a trio of extravehicular activities (EVAs) outside the International Space Station. According to ESA's mission coverage, these three excursions beyond the Quest airlock solidify Adenot's role in critical maintenance, assembly, and structural upgrades for the orbital laboratory.

Stepping outside the pressurized interior of the ISS is never routine. Each of these outings represents between six and eight hours of continuous physical exertion in the absolute vacuum of space. To carry out these operations, the astronaut suited up in the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), an American-made pressurized suit that functions essentially as a personal spacecraft, complete with its own life support, thermal control, oxygen reserves, and independent communications.

Throughout these three spacewalks, exterior tasks focused on optimizing the station's power and communications lines, preparing interfaces for new scientific payloads, and inspecting the mechanical joints that articulate the solar arrays. Every move outside the airlock demands pinpoint tethering using safety tethers and carabiners, as astronauts pull themselves along the metallic handrails running across the complex's exterior structure, with zero margin for error.

Why It Matters

The general public often associates life in orbit with weightless fun inside the modules, but the real work that keeps the station alive takes place outside. Spacewalks are, by far, the most hazardous part of any space mission. They expose astronauts to brutal thermal swings—ranging from minus 120 degrees in orbital shadow to over 120 degrees in direct sunlight every 45 minutes—along with continuous radiation bombardment and the lingering threat of micrometeoroids or tiny flecks of space debris.

Sophie Adenot logging three spacewalks highlights the technical trust international agencies place in the new class of European astronauts. It is not just about repairing components worn down by decades of radiation and thermal stress; these tasks are essential for extending the operational lifespan of the ISS through its final years and for refining assembly protocols destined for the future lunar Gateway station.

What's more, this intense exterior activity comes during a period of peak occupancy on board. Eleven astronauts and cosmonauts currently live together on the complex—a high number that accelerates the pace of scientific research and technical logistics. Alongside Adenot, the current crew aboard the ISS includes Jessica Meir, Jessica Watkins, Joshua Kutryk, Anna Kikina, Pyotr Dubrov, Luke Delaney, Jack Hathaway, Anil Menon, Andrei Fedyaev, and Sergey Teteryatnikov. Coordinating such a large team while two members work outside demands pinpoint accuracy inside the command modules, a technical feat often visible via live station streams.

What to Look for in the Sky

For anyone who enjoys naked-eye astronomy from Earth, milestones like Sophie Adenot's spacewalks transform the viewing experience. Right now, according to real-time data from our ISS tracker, the station is flying at an altitude of 418 kilometers and moving at a staggering speed of 27,591 km/h. That figure is almost impossible to fathom until you realize that the bright dot crossing your horizon takes just about ninety minutes to complete a full orbit around Earth.

When you head outside to catch the next night pass, keep these tips in mind to connect what you see with the reality of the mission:

• The source of the shine: The ISS does not emit its own light visible from that distance. What you see is sunlight bouncing off its massive reflective surfaces, primarily its eight pairs of solar array wings and thermal radiators. These are the very same metal structures and panels where Sophie Adenot remained tethered for hours across her three spacewalks.
• Visible speed: Flying at 27,591 km/h at an altitude of 418 km, the station does not blink or leave a contrail like an airplane. It moves majestically, silently, and steadily, typically taking between three and six minutes to cross the sky from horizon to horizon.
• An inhabited home: Knowing that 11 people are traveling inside that speck of light, conducting biological and physical experiments while supporting spacewalk operations, brings a uniquely human dimension to amateur stargazing.

To ensure you don't miss a sighting, check in advance what time the ISS passes over your exact location, or read our guide to spotting the ISS if it's your first time tracking the orbital outpost in the night sky.

Open our real-time tracker, find the next clear pass over your city, and get ready to see with your own eyes the orbital home where Sophie Adenot and her crewmates continue pushing the frontiers of outer space.