NASA Astronauts Anil Menon, Jessica Meir Conduct Spacewalk to Upgrade Space Station
The six hour mission prepared the International Space Station for the installation of new roll out solar arrays and strengthened its future power infrastructure.
WASHINGTON, Aug 7: NASA astronauts Anil Menon and Jessica Meir have successfully completed a six-hour-and-27-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS), carrying out structural and electrical work designed to expand the orbital laboratory’s power capacity.
The spacewalk began at 8:33 a.m. EDT on Thursday and ended at 3 p.m. EDT, marking the 281st spacewalk conducted in support of the International Space Station. It was Meir’s sixth spacewalk and Menon’s first.
The astronauts left the Quest airlock to perform upgrades on the station’s exterior, with their main task focused on the 3B power channel located on the Starboard 6 truss.
Their work involved installing mounting hardware that will support the future deployment of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays, known as IROSA. The additional solar equipment is expected to provide more electricity for the station’s operations and support essential systems as NASA prepares for the eventual controlled deorbit of the orbital complex.
NASA said the upgrades are part of a broader effort to increase the station’s available power while ensuring that critical systems continue to operate safely.
Astronauts have already installed six IROSA assemblies on the space station since 2021. Two additional units are expected to be delivered later this year, completing the planned expansion of the station’s solar power infrastructure.
During the latest outing, Menon worked from an articulating portable foot restraint positioned at the worksite, allowing him to maintain a stable position while carrying out the installation work on the truss.
The astronauts also routed cables that will eventually transfer electricity generated by the new solar array into the 3B power channel. After completing the cabling work, they installed multi layer insulation over the supporting structures to protect the equipment from the harsh conditions of space.
The mission also produced a brief moment of conversation between the astronauts as they worked outside the station. Meir pointed out the Moon during a pause, prompting Menon to remark that he could see a potential future lunar base in the distance.
The activity was the first of three planned spacewalks for the Expedition 75 crew during August.
The next spacewalk, scheduled for August 13, will focus on replacing a Space-to-Ground antenna aboard the orbital laboratory. The communications system plays an important role in transferring data and maintaining high-speed links between the space station and NASA’s Mission Control Centre in Houston.
A third outing is planned for August 25. During that mission, astronauts are expected to connect power-channel cables and data relay equipment as part of continuing station maintenance and preparations for its eventual retirement.
Crew members will also replace a navigation aid used to support spacecraft docking at the forward port of the station’s Harmony module.
The series of maintenance missions highlights NASA’s continuing efforts to preserve the International Space Station’s infrastructure while preparing the orbital laboratory for its eventual transition toward controlled deorbit operations.
