Two NASA astronauts wrapped up a major upgrade to the International Space Station’s power system on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Jessica Meir—a veteran of six spacewalks—and first-timer Anil Menon spent six hours and 27 minutes outside the ISS, installing the seventh and final set of mounting hardware for the new roll-out solar arrays, or iROSA wings. Their work, streamed live from helmet cameras, marks a major step forward for the station’s ongoing modernization.
The spacewalk kicked off at 8:33 a.m. EDT, when Meir and Menon switched their spacesuits to internal battery power and exited the Quest airlock. Their mission: to assemble and install the final modification kit on one of the ISS’s eight power channels, specifically channel 2A on the port side. This mounting hardware will support future iROSA panels and additional equipment, ultimately boosting the station’s electricity supply by a significant 20% to 30%.
Record-Setting Spacewalk for the Crew
This milestone outing was the 281st spacewalk dedicated to ISS support and the first ever for Anil Menon, an Indian-origin astronaut and Harvard/Stanford-trained ER doctor. For Jessica Meir, it was her sixth. Working together for the first time, they spent nearly 6.5 hours wrestling with bolts and brackets as the Earth spun silently below. The crew’s efforts mean all planned mounting hardware is now in place, paving the way for more solar panels and critical hardware upgrades in the coming months.
NASA says the upgrades are crucial as the ISS approaches its planned retirement. The new iROSA arrays, once installed, will help ensure stable power for the station’s final years and upcoming experiments. The work also sets the stage for more complex maintenance, including repairs to the ISS’s massive robotic arm and upgrades to the station’s antenna—a critical link for transmitting high-speed data back to Mission Control in Houston.
Meir and Menon wrapped up their tasks and re-entered the ISS at 3:00 p.m. EDT, having completed another chapter in the long-running story of humanity’s orbital outpost. The next spacewalk, scheduled for August 25, will focus on connecting power channel cables and data relay systems, keeping the ISS ready for its next phase.
