'We got it done!' Spacewalking astronauts finish installing next-gen ISS solar arrays
Spacewalkers Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk installed the final ISS Roll-Out Solar Array on Thursday (Nov. 5), wrapping up a multiyear effort to boost the station's power generation by 30%.
NASA astronauts Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk successfully installed the eighth and final Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) on the International Space Station (ISS) during a spacewalk on November 5, 2026. This installation increased the ISS's power production by up to 30%. The spacewalk, lasting 6 hours and 59 minutes, began at 8:36 a.m. EST and concluded at 3:35 p.m. EST (1336 to 2035 GMT).
The astronauts first retrieved the 750-pound iROSA assembly from a temporary stowage platform using the Canadarm2 robotic arm, then mounted it to the station's truss on the 3B power channel. After encountering issues with the array's electrical output, they waited for the station to enter Earth's shadow to troubleshoot. Once resolved, they released the array's booms, which unfurled to its full 63-foot length without the need for a motor.
Menon and Kutryk emphasized the significance of this achievement, noting that these solar arrays are 40% more powerful than their predecessors, despite being half the size.
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