Third ISS Spacewalk For Solar Array Installation Will Happen Soon

NASA has announced that it will be airing footage of the third spacewalk of astronauts aboard the ISS to install new solar arrays on the space station. Two astronauts will go outside the ISS to install the solar panel on Friday, June 25. The spacewalk will mark the third carried out in support of the solar panel installation so far.

NASA has confirmed live coverage of the spacewalk will begin at 6:30 AM EDT on NASA Television and via the NASA website. Astronauts will exit the Quest airlock aboard the ISS at around 8 AM, with the spacewalk lasting about six hours and 30 minutes. Astronauts conducting the spacewalk will include NASA’s Shane Kimbrough and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

The same astronauts have performed the other two spacewalks for the installation of the solar arrays. Inside the station, two other NASA astronauts will assist with the installation. Friday’s spacewalk will mark the fifth for the two astronauts working together in space. NASA notes that the previous solar arrays used by the ISS are functioning correctly, but installing the new panels will increase available power from 160 kilowatts to a maximum of 215 kilowatts.

The ISS reached two decades in orbit in November 2020. As the space station ages, upgrades are required to continue operations. Since the space station was placed in orbit, 244 astronauts from 19 countries have visited the laboratory.