"Jessica and Christina, we are so proud of you. You're going to do great today. We'll be waiting for you here in a couple of hours when you get home."
NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir made history Friday morning as they set off on the first all-female spacewalk.
Their journey outside the International Space Station began at 6:38 a.m. Central time. Their mission is to replace a faulty battery charge-discharge unit on the station. The spacewalk is Meir's first and Koch's fourth.
NASA had scheduled an all-female spacewalk in March, but there was a change of plans. There weren't enough prepared spacesuits that would fit Koch and Anne McClain, so Nick Hague ended up taking McClain's place. The decision got some major backlash on social media.
Friday's walk is a pretty big deal. There have been more than 200 spacewalks for the International Space Station, but only 14 women have ever been on a spacewalk, and they've always been accompanied by men.
