NASA Prepares Final Spacewalks to Complete ISS Solar Array Upgrades Written 29 October 2026

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NASA Prepares Final Spacewalks to Complete ISS Solar Array Upgrades

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Williams outside the ISS during a spacewalk on March 18, 2026. Credit: Jack Hathaway; NASA

Spaceflight Now reports that NASA is preparing two spacewalks on October 29 and November 5 to complete a years-long solar array upgrade aboard the International Space Station. Astronauts Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk will install the final two high-efficiency arrays, designed to offset power losses from the station’s aging solar panels. The upgrades will boost available power from 160 to approximately 215 kilowatts, supporting station operations through its planned retirement in 2030 and eventual “safe and controlled deorbit.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)