European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and NASA astronaut Anil Menon successfully completed a six-hour and 30-minute spacewalk on August 25, 2026, finishing the installation of a vital high-speed communications antenna on the exterior of the International Space Station.
Space operations demand extraordinary persistence, a reality underscored when two crew members floated outside the International Space Station to wrap up a complex repair job. ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and NASA astronaut Anil Menon completed US EVA-98 at 20:57 CEST on Tuesday 25 August, marking the conclusion of a multi-week effort to upgrade the orbital laboratory’s communications infrastructure.
Overcoming Antenna Hurdles in the Vacuum of Space
The successful outing resolved complications that arose days earlier. During an initial excursion on August 18, 2026, the duo spent substantial time wrestling with stuck bolts and stubborn connectors on a failed antenna, which ultimately prevented them from mounting its replacement. That earlier trip forced them to temporarily secure the broken hardware to the station’s truss while leaving the new high-speed link for later.
Returning to the worksite, the astronauts switched their suits to battery power at 14:27 CEST to officially kick off the spacewalk. After exiting the Quest airlock, they retrieved a foot restraint and mounted it on Canadarm2, operated from inside the station by NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway. Menon rode the robotic arm to External Platform 3—where the spare Space-to-Ground Antenna had remained stored since 2009—while Adenot translated along the station’s exterior under her own power.
Precision Robotics and External Rigging
The intricate choreography required precise coordination between crew members inside and outside the hull. Once Menon detached the spare antenna from its long-term storage location, Canadarm2 transported him and the hardware to the Z1 truss. Adenot followed her own route to the truss, where she cleaned and lubricated the bolt inserts.
After mounting the spare unit on the boom, the pair secured the electrical connections, removed the gimbal locks that protected the antenna during transport, and installed a heat shield. They then turned their attention to the broken unit left behind the previous week. Adenot released the tie-downs, allowing Menon to ride the robotic arm and permanently stow the failed hardware before both astronauts returned safely to the airlock.
Mission Milestones and Historic Spacewalks
The mission carried heavy historical significance for the European space program. With this outing, Adenot accumulated a total of 12 hours and 53 minutes of spacewalking time across two extravehicular activities, cementing her milestone as the first French woman to conduct a spacewalk and the second female French astronaut to fly in space.
For Menon, the assignment marked his third spacewalk, following previous outings on August 6 and August 18. Agency records show that the operation was the 98th US spacewalk and the 283rd in the history of station assembly and maintenance.
Securing High-Speed Data Links for Mission Control
The newly installed hardware is far from ordinary station equipment. According to federal space officials, the spare Space-to-Ground Antenna serves as a critical link that enables high-speed data transmission between NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston and the orbital complex. Without it, ground support and communications face severe bottlenecks.
“During the 6-hour, 30-minute spacewalk, Menon and Adenot successfully installed and connected the spare Space-to-Ground antenna, a critical link that enables high-speed data transmission between NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston and the orbital complex.”
NASA, Public Affairs Statement
With the replacement system fully operational, the station restores its full data bandwidth capacity, ensuring seamless coordination between the orbiting laboratory and researchers on the ground.
Reflections from Orbit
Following the grueling task, both crew members shared perspective on the achievement. Menon credited ground teams and crew tenacity for overcoming the initial setbacks encountered days prior.
“I’m proud we continue to accomplish challenges like today’s and demonstrate NASA’s deep capability to work in the harshest of environments. Today proves that it’s the resiliency that we have to not give up and make this a success.”
Anil Menon, NASA Astronaut
Adenot, reflecting separately on her time aboard the orbital complex during interviews with international broadcasters, offered an inspiring message to students and aspiring engineers watching from Earth.
“Never underestimate what humanity can achieve when we work together; there’s still so much to explore and even more to create. So keep dreaming, building bridges.”
Sophie Adenot, ESA Astronaut
