ISS Crew Completes 100th U.S. Spacewalk and Installs Seventh iROSA Solar Array
What happened
On October 29, 2026, astronauts Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk completed a 7-hour-11-minute extravehicular activity to install the seventh International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) 400 kilometers above Earth.
The Context
* Hardware wear prompts upgrades: The station's original eight solar arrays were rated for 15-year lifespans, requiring new roll-out wings delivered by SpaceX Dragon cargo flights to offset power degradation. * Precision orbital assembly: Secured to the Canadarm2 robotic arm, Menon transported the 340-kilogram rolled array to the 2A power channel before it unfurled to its full 19-meter length. * Bridge to deorbit: The restored power architecture stabilizes operations for commercial research and crew rotations through the orbital complex's targeted retirement in 2030.
The Number
— the milestone count of U.S. spacewalks staged directly from the station airlock without a docked space shuttle, underscoring the shift toward self-sufficient long-duration station maintenance.
Takeaway
Expect final power upgrades to conclude rapidly with the eighth and final iROSA installation scheduled for November 5, 2026.
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