Two astronauts stepped outside the International Space Station on a planned extravehicular activity to install and deploy an ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA), officials said. NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Joshua Kutryk carried out the operation, which was broadcast live for viewers on ground.
IROSA units are flexible solar arrays designed to augment the station's existing power-generating capability. The roll-out design allows the arrays to be stowed compactly during launch and unfurled in space, providing additional electrical output to support the station's scientific instruments, systems and future operations.
The outing is part of a multi-year schedule of upgrades to the space station's power system, intended to maintain and enhance electricity availability as the orbiting laboratory continues to host research and commercial activities. Spacewalks to attach, bolt and unfurl the arrays require careful coordination between the crew outside, colleagues inside the station and flight controllers on the ground.
NASA and the CSA said the astronauts followed established procedures for the installation and deployment. Such activities typically involve relocation of handrails and other hardware, electrical connections and checks to confirm the arrays are generating power as expected.
The operation underscores continued international cooperation on the ISS, which is jointly managed by multiple space agencies. Officials will analyse telemetry and imagery from the spacewalk in the hours and days after the outing to verify the array's performance and to inform any follow-up work that may be needed.