NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon completed a 6.5-hour spacewalk Thursday to prepare the International Space Station for new solar arrays [1].
The mission is critical for the long-term viability of the orbital laboratory. By installing mounting hardware for future roll-out solar arrays, NASA aims to increase the total power available to the station's systems [3].
Working outside the U.S. segment and portions of the Russian segment, the crew focused on the physical infrastructure required for the upgrade [4]. The 6.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) involved the precise installation of hardware that will eventually support the new arrays [1].
For astronaut Jessica Meir, this outing marked her third spacewalk of 2026 [5]. The coordination between the two astronauts was essential to ensure the mounting brackets were positioned correctly for the upcoming delivery of the arrays [3].
NASA officials said the successful completion of this EVA represents another step in a multi-phase plan to modernize the station's power grid. The roll-out arrays are designed to be more efficient than the older, rigid panels currently in use [3].
While the hardware is now in place, the actual solar arrays will be delivered and installed in a subsequent phase. This phased approach allows the crew to verify the structural integrity of the mounting points before the larger panels are attached [3].
“NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon completed a 6.5-hour spacewalk Thursday”
The transition to roll-out solar arrays indicates a shift toward more flexible, high-efficiency power generation on the International Space Station. As the station ages, increasing its power capacity is necessary to support new scientific experiments and a growing crew, ensuring the facility remains operational as NASA prepares for future deep-space transitions.
