Science and Technology News

Maiden ISS Spacewalk - Anil Menon

August 17 , 2026 16 hrs 0 min 18 0

Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Anil Menon has completed his first spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS).
It was marking a major milestone in his first mission in orbit.
Menon and Nasa astronaut Jessica Meir completed US Spacewalk 96 after spending 6 hours and 27 minutes outside the orbital laboratory.
The astronauts' main job was to prepare the station's 3B power channel for future upgrades.
This work is important because it will enable the installation of additional International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSA).
These solar arrays will provide more electricity to the ageing orbital laboratory, helping power its systems and supporting its eventual safe and controlled deorbit.
The astronauts completed their primary objectives, meaning the crucial work planned for the spacewalk was successfully carried out.
A spacewalk is essentially an astronaut's most demanding maintenance shift.
A spacewalk is any time an astronaut or cosmonaut leaves a spacecraft to operate outside in outer space.
It is also called an EVA, which stands for extravehicular activity.
Outside the ISS, astronauts work in the vacuum of space while relying entirely on their spacesuits for oxygen, temperature control and protection.
They can repair satellites or spacecraft that are in space.
By going on spacewalks, astronauts can fix things instead of bringing them back to Earth to fix.