NASA astronauts complete 6.5-hour spacewalk to install solar array hardware on ISS

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon completed a 6.5-hour spacewalk Thursday, installing the final solar array mounting hardware outside the International Space Station. The pair assembled and secured the modification kit for the station’s 3B power channel, routed cabling, and added insulation. Six of eight new iROSA wings are deployed; the remaining two arrive later this year. The upgrade will boost electricity supply by 20 to 30 percent. Thursday’s spacewalk lasted 6 hours 27 minutes, starting 8:33 a.m. EDT. It was the 96th U.S. EVA and 281st overall for station assembly; Menon’s first career EVA, Meir’s sixth.