Indian-American astronaut Anil Menon completes first 6.5-hour ISS spacewalk

NASA astronaut Anil Menon performed his inaugural spacewalk alongside veteran Jessica Meir, spending six and a half hours outside the International Space Station to install hardware for a new solar array.

Anil Menon, an Indian-origin NASA astronaut, stepped outside the International Space Station for his first spacewalk, joining experienced astronaut Jessica Meir for a six-and-a-half-hour EVA. Together they installed mounting hardware on the station’s 3B power channel to accommodate a new International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array, the seventh of its kind, slated for later this year. The new arrays will significantly increase power output, supporting scientific experiments and life-support systems as NASA seeks to maximize the ISS’s lifespan before its planned de-orbit in the 2030s. This EVA, designated US Spacewalk 96, marks the 281st spacewalk supporting ISS assembly and maintenance and is the first of three NASA walks planned for August.

Both astronauts wore Extravehicular Mobility Unit suits and remained tethered to the station throughout the operation, which NASA streamed live to the public. Menon’s achievement highlights the growing presence of Indian-heritage astronauts in global space exploration.