NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon successfully completed a 6.5-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Thursday. The duo focused their efforts on the station's 3B power channel, located on the starboard segment of the main truss. Their primary objective was the assembly and installation of mounting hardware for future Roll-Out Solar Array upgrades.
This mission marks a key step in the ongoing effort to modernize the station's energy system. By bolting together triangular brackets and routing power cables, the astronauts prepared the exterior for the arrival of new array wings. These components are essential to ensure the station maintains adequate power output as its original equipment passes the fifteen-year mark.
Beyond the hardware installation, the spacewalkers covered structural components with multi-layer insulation to protect against potential debris strikes. This work is part of a larger plan to increase the total electricity supply of the orbital laboratory by up to thirty percent. The operation was the ninety-sixth spacewalk conducted by U.S. personnel for station assembly and maintenance.
During a break in the work, both astronauts looked toward the Moon, reflecting on the current Artemis program goals. Meir noted that the work they perform today builds the foundation for future human exploration efforts on the lunar surface and eventually Mars. The crew remains focused on completing two additional spacewalks scheduled for later this month to handle further antenna maintenance and cable connections.