Astronauts Complete Spacewalk to Upgrade ISS Power System
NASA astronauts Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk installed a new solar array on the ISS, marking a significant upgrade to its power system.
Two astronauts successfully conducted a spacewalk on Thursday to install a new solar array on the International Space Station (ISS), marking the seventh of eight upgrades to the station’s aging power system.
Nasa’s Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk began the task at approximately 8 a.m. EDT, safely connecting electrical cables before deploying the International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA). They completed the spacewalk, lasting over seven hours, at 3:08 p.m. EDT.
Mission control reported positive initial results from the newly installed array, which is expected to increase the station’s power supply to approximately 215 kilowatts, a substantial enhancement from the original arrays that generated about 152 kilowatts before the upgrade began.
“Engineers and electrical officers here in mission control are happy with what they’re seeing from the new array,” said NASA commentator Rob Navias.
The IROSA, measuring 60 feet when fully deployed, is a crucial addition to the station’s power capabilities as it prepares for decommissioning in 2030. Menon, who has completed three spacewalks, noted the significance of the upgrade: “In fact, we have been powering our efforts in space and doing complex operations like this for over 26 years.”
This installation is part of a multi-year project initiated in 2021 to replace outdated solar panels. The last IROSA will be installed in a second spacewalk scheduled for November 5, completing the array installation process.
The astronauts carried the new array to the installation site using the Canadarm2, a robotic arm, and utilized safety protocols to handle the electrical connections while the station was out of sunlight. Kutryk remarked, “The night is dark and full of wonders,” referring to the unique experience of working in space.
This spacewalk also marked the 100th U.S. spacewalk conducted from the ISS without support from the space shuttle, with a total of 285 spacewalks conducted since the station’s assembly began in 1998.
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Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.