Spacewalkers complete five-year effort to upgrade space station power supply

Completion of a Five-Year Upgrade Effort

Astronauts Joshua Kutryk and Anil Menon have successfully completed a major five-year project to modernize the International Space Station's power supply. Operating outside the orbiting laboratory on Thursday, the spacewalkers carried out the final installation phase.

Overcoming an Unexpected Power Snag

During the spacewalk, Joshua Kutryk and Anil Menon encountered an unexpected power issue. The duo effectively navigated through the technical snag and successfully unfurled the last of eight new solar arrays outside the station.

Powering the Station Through Its 2030 Retirement

With this final array deployment, the orbiting laboratory is now equipped to maintain full operations through its planned retirement in 2030. The five-year modernization effort guarantees a robust energy supply for critical onboard science and life support systems.