In brief
NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency explorer Joshua Kutryk launched a 6½‑hour spacewalk on Oct. 29, 2026 to attach the ISS’s seventh roll‑out solar array. The panels, mounted on the station’s 2A power channel, will give extra electricity for critical systems, including a planned controlled deorbit. It was Menon’s fourth EVA and Kutryk’s first, marking the 285th exterior walk that has helped assemble and upgrade the orbiting laboratory.
On Oct. 29, 2026, NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency explorer Joshua Kutryk launched into a spacewalk outside the International Space Station to attach the seventh roll‑out solar array.
The EVA began at 7:57 a.m. Eastern Time and NASA said it was expected to last more than six and a half hours.
The new solar array will mount on the station’s 2A electrical power channel, Xinhua reported, adding extra power for critical station systems.
The panel will help support ISS operations, including the planned controlled deorbit that will end the station’s journey once its design life is over.
It was Menon’s fourth EVA in space and Kutryk’s first, CBS said, marking the 285th spacewalk that has helped assemble and upgrade the orbiting laboratory.
The roll‑out panels are designed to unfurl like a giant solar flare, giving the ISS a larger surface to capture sunlight.
As the spacewalk continued, the astronauts secured the array’s support struts and checked its electrical connections, ensuring the new panels could be powered up safely.
If all goes as planned, the new solar array will keep the ISS running as it prepares for its eventual deorbit, making the station more reliable until its end‑of‑life.
The EVA also tested new thermal control equipment that will help the ISS manage heat during future missions.
NASA’s flight controller team monitors the EVA from Houston, while Canadian engineers coordinate from Ottawa. Both space agencies emphasize teamwork across borders.
Astronauts will wear special suits called pressure suits that keep them safe while working outside the station.
Later updates will confirm whether the array deployed properly and how long it takes to ramp up power.
