Indian-origin astronaut Anil Menon to perform spacewalk on Thursday
Menon and Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk will install the final roll-out solar array on the International Space Station.
Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Anil Menon is scheduled to conduct a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, November 5, according to India Today. Menon will work alongside Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk for the operation, designated as US Spacewalk 101.
The seven-hour mission aims to install the eighth and final International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) on the station's 3B power channel. During the task, Menon will use the Canadarm2 robotic arm to transport the folded array to the installation site before the pair attaches and deploys it.
This mission is part of a power upgrade programme that started in June 2021 to support the station's original solar panels. Once all eight arrays are in place, electricity generation capacity is expected to increase from 160 kilowatts to approximately 215 kilowatts, a rise of up to 30 per cent.
The duo previously completed a seven-hour and 11-minute spacewalk on October 29 to install the seventh solar array. The upcoming operation is scheduled to begin at 7 pm IST, with live coverage from Nasa starting at 5:30 pm IST.