Indiatimes completed his maiden spacewalk on August 6, 2026, stepping outside the International Space Station for six and a half hours. Working alongside veteran astronaut Jessica Meir, Menon helped install critical hardware on the station’s 3B power channel to prepare for upcoming solar array upgrades.
India’s footprint in space exploration reached a new milestone on Thursday, August 6, 2026, as Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon ventured into the vacuum of space for the very first time. The demanding extravehicular activity (EVA) required Menon and veteran spacewalker Jessica Meir to spend roughly six and a half hours working on the exterior of the aging orbital laboratory.
Upgrading the International Space Station Power Architecture
The primary objective for Thursday’s mission, designated U.S. Spacewalk 96, focused on preparing the space station for future power upgrades. The duo exited the station’s Quest airlock to install specialized hardware directly onto the station’s 3B power channel. This preparation paves the way for the future delivery and installation of another International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA), which is scheduled to arrive later in 2026. Once installed, it will serve as the seventh advanced solar array attached to the orbital outpost.
These roll-out arrays supplement the station’s original solar power systems, which have gradually degraded after more than two decades of continuous exposure to the harsh space environment. The newer panels are significantly lighter, more efficient, and capable of generating substantially more electricity. This boosted power generation is essential for maintaining hundreds of ongoing scientific investigations in microgravity, supporting vital life-support systems, and supplying reliable energy as NASA works to maximize the operational lifespan of the station before its eventual controlled deorbit next decade.
A Career-Defining Milestone for a Space Program Newcomer
For Anil Menon, the August 6 mission represents the culmination of years of rigorous preparation. Selected by NASA as part of the 2021 astronaut class, Menon brought a distinctive medical and engineering background to the agency, having previously served as SpaceX’s first flight surgeon and an emergency medicine specialist. Born in the United States to an Indian father from Kerala and a Ukrainian mother, Menon joined an expedition crew in mid-July after arriving aboard a Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft for an eight-month mission.
While Thursday’s venture marked Menon’s first time outside the spacecraft, his partner brought extensive experience to the airlock. Jessica Meir served as spacewalk crew member 1, identifiable by her suit’s red stripes, while Menon wore an unmarked spacesuit as crew member 2. The outing marked Meir’s sixth career spacewalk, placing her among the more seasoned extravehicular specialists currently aboard the station.
The operation underscored the inherent hazards of working outside the orbital laboratory. Operating in the harsh vacuum of space exposes astronauts to extreme temperature swings and radiation while travelling around Earth at nearly 28,000 kilometers per hour. To counter these threats, both crew members remained secured by multiple safety tethers while wearing NASA’s Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuits, which function as miniature independent spacecraft providing oxygen, communication, and thermal regulation.
August Spacewalk Schedule and Expedition Context
Thursday’s mission stands as the 281st spacewalk conducted in support of the assembly, maintenance, and expansion of the space station since its inception. It also represents the fourth spacewalk of 2026, the third all-NASA extravehicular activity of the year in a row, and the first of three spacewalks NASA planned for the month of August.
The station currently hosts seven crew members assigned to Expedition 75.
Following the completion of the solar array modification work, NASA’s slate of August extravehicular activities continues with a second spacewalk scheduled for August 13 to replace a space-to-ground communications antenna. A third outing is slated for August 25, focusing on connecting power-channel cables and upgrading the station’s data relay systems.
Keep reading
