Nasa cancels first ever all-female spacewalk due to lack of spacesuits in correct size

Nasa has cancelled its plans for the first ever all-female spacewalk because the agency does not have enough spacesuits that fit the astronauts.

Christina Koch and Anne McClain were set to take part in the first-of-its-kind mission, walking outside the International Space Station to install batteries, later this week.

But Nasa has since said its plans had changed “in part” due to a shortage of spacesuits in the correct size for the astronauts.

In statement on Monday, the space agency said: “Koch had been scheduled to conduct this spacewalk with astronaut McClain, in what would have been the first all-female spacewalk.

“However, after consulting with McClain and Hague following the first spacewalk, mission managers decided to adjust the assignments, due in part to spacesuit availability on the station.

“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.”

More than 500 people have been into space, but only 11 per cent have been women, according to Reuters news agency.

The first woman to perform a spacewalk was the Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya 35 years ago.