On Sunday, 7th June 2020, when the world was still figuring out how to fight and adapt to the ongoing pandemic, a 68-year-old American was on her way to make history.
On October 11, 1984, astronaut Kathy Suvillan became the first American woman astronaut to spacewalk under a space shuttle mission. While the world celebrated to remember her as the first American woman astronaut making a space history; who knew she had other plans too?
After around 25 years, Kathy Suvillan once again stole the limelight for being the first woman to reach the deepest point of the Earth.
Not only this, after returning to shore successfully, she has written her name in history as the first human to have walked in space and also dived to the deepest point of the earth.
Kathy Suvillan: An Adrenaline Junkie
From her achievements, it can be said that Kathy Suvillan is a real adrenaline junkie!
Born and brought up in New Jersey, Kathy Suvillan is an American geologist and a former NASA astronaut.
After completing her PhD in 1978, she joined NASA and became a part of the Space Shuttle Challenger Mission. Following the same, she became the first American woman to walk in space and perform an extravehicular activity (EVA).
Soon after she left NASA, she joined the National Oceanic And Administration (NOAA) where she watered her interests as an oceanographer.
A keen ocean specialist and a geologist by profession, Kathy dived to the deepest point of the Earth known as Challenger Deep and re-wrote her name in history.
The Expedition To The Deepest Point Of The Earth
Challenger Deep which is 1 mile deeper than the height of Mount Everest has a freezing water temperature and pitch darkness with absolutely zero possibility of light penetration.
At such depth, the water pressure runs at 8 tonnes per square inch and only one submersible in the world known as the Limiting Facto can withstand such high pressure.
Kathy Suvillan and billionaire adventurer, Victor Vescovo, co-piloted the Limiting Factor (the exclusive submarine used for such deep-sea voyage) and dived into the deepest point of the Pacific Ocean.
The duo spent around 10 hours on board the two-person submarine and took four hours each to ascend and descend at the penetrating depth of 35,410 feet.
After having made the historic dive, they returned to the surface and the first thing they did was to contact the two US astronauts at the International Space Station which was around 254 miles above Earth.
Read Also: NASA’s Jeff Williams To Hold American Record For Most Space Time, When He Returns This Time
The world celebrated the historic dive and Vescovo, who dived into the Challenger Deep for the third time, applauded his co-pilot Kathy for making history in such an inspiring way. He congratulated her by tweeting,
“Big congratulations to her!”
on becoming the first to explore the deepest point of Earth.
What’s More
Like any other human, Kathy was also thrilled and amazed after having such an experience. She released a statement to EYOS Expedition- the company that looked after the logistics for the mission-saying, “As a hybrid oceanographer and astronaut this was an extraordinary day, a once in a lifetime day, seeing the moonscape of the Challenger Deep and then comparing notes with my colleagues on the ISS about our remarkable reusable inner-space outer-spacecraft.”
Located 7 miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, Challenger Deep has a depth of around 35,200 feet. The journey to such great depths is full of challenges and anything can happen at such a crushing pressure.
Moreover, we have only explored a shallower part of the world’s ocean and what lies in such deep waters is still unknown.
This uncertainly of encountering the unprecedented makes it even more difficult to dive into such deep pits and that’s why there are more people who have been to the moon than into the depths of the ocean.
But with great courage and admirable leadership, Kathy Suvillan didn’t just become the first woman to enter into the Challenger Deep but also the first human to explore both space and the ocean with zero casualties.
With her journey, Kathy breaks the stereotype around only men taking challenging journeys and gives rise to a new era of hope and courage for women.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: New York Times, CNN, Indian Express
Find the Blogger: @ZehraYameena
This post is tagged under: first human to walk the space and deepest point of earth, deepest point in ocean, sea, pacific ocea, adventure, billionaire adventurer, challenger deep, astronaut, NASA, oceanographer, PHD, Kathy Suvillan, Victor Vescovo, limiting factor, make history, create history, first american woman
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