With his final exit from the ISS, on September 12, 2021, Thomas Pesquet set a new record for the ESA. Astronauts have now spent a total of 39 hours 54 minutes in space, which is more than Luca Parmitano and his 33 hours.

This was the sixth time in his career as an astronaut that Thomas Pesquet had ventured outside the International Space Station (ISS). On Sunday, September 12, 2021, astronauts performed a spacewalk in the company of Akihiko Hoshide, a member of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Together, they were to work to prepare for the arrival of future solar panels on the ISS.

« mission accomplished “, Then tweeted Thomas Pesquet, after an outing that lasted a total of 6 hours 54 minutes. For the European Space Agency (ESA), of which the cosmonaut is a member, this new time spent in the vacuum of space is symbolic: with his last paranormal activity, Thomas Pesquet broke the previous European record, which Italian cosmonaut Luca Parmitano founded. . ” This is a new record for ESA », have published We’ll have to review this infographic, indicating that we’ll have to review this infographic, following the space agency release on Twitter. Luca Parmitano is no longer the ESA astronaut who spent the most time in space: Thomas Pesquet is now ahead of him.

39 hours and 54 minutes (cumulative) in the vacuum of space

If we add the time spent on the spacewalk by Thomas Pesquet on September 12th to the time already spent in space (33 hours), we see that the astronaut has now spent 39 hours and 54 minutes In space (outside the ISS cabin). So he surpassed Luca Parmitano with his cumulative spacewalk of 33 hours and 9 minutes. On the ESA list, other French astronauts are in the top 11 of Europeans who have spent the most time in spacewalks during space missions: Philippe Perrin (fourth with 19 hours and 31 minutes), Jean-Pierre Hagnre (6 hours and 19 minutes). 8th minute) and Jean-Loup Chrétien (5 hours and 57 minutes).

For anecdote, it’s not Thomas Pesquet who was originally supposed to carry out this recent exit outside the ISS. Initially, it was planned that the outing would take place on August 24 and be led by another pair: Akihiko Hoshide and Mark Vande Hey, NASA astronauts. However, the deadline had to be pushed back due to a minor medical problem faced by the American. Eventually, Thomas Pesquet stepped in his place, while Mark Vande Hey supported two of his colleagues from inside the ISS.

The Alpha mission, which is Thomas Pesquet’s second aboard the ISS, is to last a total of six months. So he should return to Earth at the end of October. He would become the first Frenchman to command the ISS before leaving the cockpit. This stay also made him the Frenchman to spend the most time in space.

Continuity in video