NASA Completes Historic Spacewalk to Upgrade ISS Power System
NASA completed its 100th United States spacewalk at the International Space Station on Thursday, October 29. The extravehicular activity, carried out by Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk, focuses on modernizing the station’s power supply ahead of its planned retirement around 2030.
Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk Target Power Grid Upgrade
The mission represents the 285th spacewalk dedicated to assembling, maintaining, and upgrading the station located approximately 400 kilometers above Earth, according to a report by comercio.tv. Menon and Kutryk spent roughly six hours and 45 minutes working on the exterior of the laboratory using specialized tools and tether systems. Menon operated the robotic arm Canadarm2 to transport new equipment, while Kutryk moved across the exterior structure to assist with the physical installation.
The operation marks a personal milestone for Kutryk by completing his first spacewalk, while Menon adds to three prior experiences. Inside the station, fellow crew members monitored the maneuvers and coordinated equipment movement to support the exterior work.
Installing the Seventh iROSA Solar Array
The spacewalk centered on installing the seventh of eight modern solar arrays designed to sustain the station through its final years of service. This intervention forms part of an energy renewal initiative that began in 2021 to replace original power equipment that has degraded after decades of space exposure.
Known as iROSA units, the new solar panels are transported to the station in a rolled configuration and deployed on orbit to capture solar energy. Once all eight devices are fully operational, the station’s power capacity will jump from approximately 160 kilowatts to 215 kilowatts, representing a roughly 30 percent increase in available energy. That power supports critical onboard communications, scientific experiments, and life support systems for the permanently inhabited facility.
The eighth and final solar panel of this series is scheduled for installation on November 5, when Menon and Kutryk could perform an additional spacewalk to complete the power grid update.
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