Two NASA astronauts spent more than six hours working outside the International Space Station in a demanding extravehicular activity. Anil Menon and Jessica Meir ventured into open space to fit mounting hardware designed to support the future installation of additional solar arrays on the orbiting laboratory.
- The spacewalk lasted approximately 6.5 hours outside the International Space Station.
- Astronauts Anil Menon and Jessica Meir carried out the extravehicular activity together.
- The primary task was installing mounting hardware to accommodate new solar arrays planned for the ISS.
- The upgrade is part of NASA's broader effort to boost the station's electrical power generation capacity.
What Menon and Meir Accomplished During the Spacewalk
The two astronauts worked methodically in the harsh environment of low Earth orbit, attaching structural mounting brackets that will serve as the foundation for next-generation solar panels. Tasks like these require precise coordination and are carefully choreographed long before the crew ever steps outside the airlock.
Spacewalks of this duration are physically demanding, requiring astronauts to work in pressurized suits that limit dexterity while managing tools and hardware in microgravity. A 6.5-hour excursion is considered a full-length EVA and places significant endurance demands on the crew members involved.
Why the ISS Needs New Solar Arrays
The International Space Station has been operational for over two decades, and its original solar arrays have gradually degraded in efficiency over that time. NASA has been rolling out a series of new solar panels, known as iROSA — International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays — to supplement and eventually replace ageing power systems.
Increasing the station's power generation capacity is critical for supporting ongoing scientific research and for accommodating future systems and crew needs. The mounting hardware installed during this spacewalk represents a preparatory step that must be completed before any new arrays can be physically attached and deployed.
Why it matters
Keeping the ISS properly powered is essential to sustaining the scientific experiments and international collaboration that the station enables. As the station ages and global space agencies plan for its eventual retirement, ensuring it remains fully operational in the near term requires continuous maintenance and upgrades like this one.
Common questions
Who are astronauts Anil Menon and Jessica Meir?
Anil Menon is a NASA astronaut and flight surgeon who was among the first group of SpaceX's commercial crew astronauts. Jessica Meir is an experienced NASA astronaut and scientist who has previously conducted multiple spacewalks during earlier ISS missions.
What are the new solar arrays being added to the ISS?
NASA has been installing iROSA — Roll-Out Solar Arrays — on the ISS to boost its aging power system. These compact, deployable panels supplement the station's original solar wings, which have lost efficiency over more than two decades of use.
