'1 more step': NASA astronauts conduct 6.5-hour spacewalk to prep ISS for solar array upgrade
Jessica Meir and Anil Menon completed a 6.5-hour spacewalk to install solar array mounting hardware outside of the International Space Station on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026.
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon completed a 6.5-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) to prepare it for the installation of new solar arrays. The duo installed the final set of mounting hardware for the eighth power channel, enabling the future addition of a Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA). This upgrade will increase the station's electricity supply by 20% to 30%, compensating for the degraded power output of the eight original arrays that have exceeded their 15-year design life.
Menon and Meir assembled and bolted triangular brackets onto the 3B power channel, located on the far right segment of the station's backbone truss. After securing the modification kit structure, they routed cabling to carry electricity from the future iROSA into the 3B power channel and protected the struts with multi-layer insulation against micrometeoroid strikes.
The astronauts also discussed their upcoming missions to the Moon and Mars, emphasizing the importance of the space station's ongoing operations in supporting human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
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