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Today in History: Kathryn Sullivan becomes first American woman spacewalker

By Drooid · Oct 11, 2026, 10:37 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

On 11 October 1984, NASA astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan stepped outside Space Shuttle Challenger for a 3-hour, 30-minute EVA with fellow crew member David Leestma, becoming the first American woman to walk in space. The mission, STS-41-G, demonstrated the shuttle’s capability for extended extravehicular work before Challenger’s later 1986 disaster.

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Story summary

On 11 October 1984, NASA astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan stepped outside Space Shuttle Challenger for a 3-hour, 30-minute EVA with fellow crew member David Leestma, becoming the first American woman to walk in space. The mission, STS-41-G, demonstrated the shuttle’s capability for extended extravehicular work before Challenger’s later 1986 disaster.