Astronauts Begin Final Spacewalks To Complete ISS Solar Power Upgrade
Astronauts Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk began a 6.5-hour spacewalk from the ISS Quest airlock at 7:57 a.m. EDT Thursday to install the station's seventh roll-out solar array.[1]
They will mount the panel on a left-side inboard solar wing and tie it into power channel 2A.[1] The work is part of a multi-year upgrade that is expected to raise station output from about 152 kilowatts to roughly 215 kilowatts once the final two arrays are installed, extending operations to 2030.[1]
The IROSA project has added roll-out panels to the station over several missions to supplement aging original arrays.[1] Thursday's excursion begins the final phase of that campaign, which will finish when the last two arrays are deployed and brought online.[1]
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 7:57 a.m. EDT, astronauts Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk began a planned 6.5-hour spacewalk from the ISS Quest airlock.
- The pair are installing the seventh ISS roll-out solar array (IROSA) on a left-side inboard solar wing, tying into power channel 2A.
- The multi-year IROSA project will boost ISS power from about 152 kW before the upgrades to an expected 215 kW once the final two arrays are installed, extending operations to 2030.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time