Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon and veteran astronaut Jessica Meir successfully completed a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS), carrying out critical upgrades to the orbiting laboratory’s power system. The mission marked Menon’s first extravehicular activity (EVA), an important milestone in his spaceflight career, while contributing to NASA’s ongoing efforts to modernise the ISS for future scientific operations.
The astronauts exited the space station to install new hardware on the Starboard-6 truss, a key structure supporting the ISS solar power system. Their primary objective was to prepare the station’s 3B power channel for the installation of an ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA), a next-generation solar panel designed to improve the station’s energy production.
The IROSA technology is expected to significantly boost the ISS’s power-generating capacity while using lighter and more efficient solar arrays than the original panels installed during the station’s early years. The upgrades are intended to enhance the station’s ability to support scientific research, technology demonstrations, and daily operations as NASA and its international partners continue extending the laboratory’s service life.
Throughout the spacewalk, Menon and Meir completed a series of carefully planned tasks, including securing mounting brackets, routing cables, and installing components required for the future deployment of the new solar array. Mission controllers at NASA monitored the operation closely, guiding the astronauts through each stage of the complex assignment.
For Menon, the mission represented a significant achievement as he joined the ranks of astronauts who have performed spacewalks in one of the most demanding environments in human space exploration. Jessica Meir, who has previously completed multiple EVAs, brought her experience to the operation, ensuring the mission progressed smoothly.
