Spacewalk next step in Nicole Mann’s journey as 1st Native American woman in space

The first Native American woman in space stepped out on a spacewalk Monday to prepare the International Space Station for more solar panels.

NASA astronaut Nicole Mann appeared alongside Japan’s Koichi Wakata, carrying a bag of equipment. His job was to install struts and support brackets for the new solar panels launching this summer, part of an ongoing effort by NASA to expand the space station’s power grid.

Mann, a US Marine colonel and test pilot, rocketed into orbit last fall with SpaceX, becoming the first Native American woman in space.

He is a Wailakki member of the Round Valley Indian Tribe in Northern California.

Wakata, Japan’s spaceflight leader with five missions, also flew on SpaceX. He helped build the station during the shuttle era.

There was the first spacewalk for both.

The pair will depart the space station in a month or so.