Indian‑origin NASA astronaut Dr Anil Menon will step outside the International Space Station (ISS) today for his maiden spacewalk (EVA), joining veteran astronaut Jessica Meir in a mission to upgrade the station’s power infrastructure.
The spacewalk, scheduled to begin at 5:35 pm IST, will last about 6.5 hours. NASA’s live coverage starts at 4:00 pm IST. The duo will install hardware to modify the ISS’s 3B power channel, paving the way for the seventh IROSA solar array, which will boost power for critical station operations, including systems supporting the ISS’s eventual safe de‑orbit.
This mission, designated US Spacewalk 96, marks the 281st ISS spacewalk and Menon’s first‑ever EVA. It is also the first of three US spacewalks planned for August, with follow‑ups on Aug 13 (antenna replacement) and Aug 25 (power‑channel cabling).
Menon, a physician and engineer with roots in Kerala, previously served as SpaceX’s first flight surgeon before being selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021. Today’s EVA will be his first opportunity to work in the vacuum of space, tethered to the ISS in a pressurised Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) suit.
NASA emphasised the significance of the mission, noting that the new solar array will enhance the station’s resilience and operational capacity.
