What should have been a giant leap for womankind has turned into a stumble on the path to equality after U.S. space agency NASA canceled the first all-female spacewalk due to a lack of a spacesuit in the right size .
Anne McClain
and Christina Koch had been due to step into history books in a spacewalk on Friday, during the final week of Women’s History Month .
But McClain will now give up her place on the mission to her male colleague Nick Hague , NASA announced late Monday.
“ Mission managers decided to adjust the assignments , due in part to spacesuit availability on the station ,” NASA said in a statement.
“McClain learned during her first spacewalk that a medium-size hard upper torso—essentially the shirt of the spacesuit—fits her best. Because only one medium-size torso can be made ready by Friday, March 29 , Koch will wear it.”
Nearly 60 years after the first human blasted off into space, less than 11% of the 500 plus people who have traveled to space have been women , and spacewalk teams have either been all-male or male-female.
McClain and Koch were both part of the 2013 NASA class that was 50% women.
NASA said the decision to change the plan was made in consultation with McClain after a spacewalk last week.
“Anne trained in M and L and thought she could use a large but decided after Friday’s spacewalk a medium fits better,” wrote spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz on Twitter .
“In this case, it’s easier (and faster!) to change spacewalkers than reconfigure the spacesuit.”
The NASA announcement was met with disappointment and anger by many following the much-anticipated mission on social media, with some arguing an all-female spacewalk was overdue.
Others said they were sad that a milestone moment on women’s space exploration had been deferred, but safety came first.
sg
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