Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon is set to conduct his first-ever spacewalk, also known as an Extravehicular Activity (EVA), outside the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a mission to upgrade the orbiting laboratory’s power system, according to NASA.
The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 5:35 pm IST on Thursday (Aug. 6) and last about six and a half hours. NASA’s live coverage will begin at 4:00 pm IST. Menon will be joined by veteran astronaut Jessica Meir, who will be carrying out her sixth spacewalk, while the mission will mark Menon’s maiden EVA.
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Getting ready for a spacewalk with two of my favorite people! Tune in tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/ehAseSIizn
— Anil Menon (@astro_anil) August 5, 2026
NASA said the astronauts will upgrade the station’s power infrastructure by installing hardware to modify the ISS’s 3B power channel, paving the way for the installation of another International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) later this year.
The new solar panel will be the seventh IROSA installed on the space station. Once operational, it will provide additional power for critical station operations, including systems supporting the station’s eventual safe and controlled de-orbit, India Today reported.
The mission, designated US Spacewalk 96, will be the 281st spacewalk conducted in support of ISS assembly, maintenance and upgrades. It is also the first of three US spacewalks planned for August.
The next excursion, US Spacewalk 97, is scheduled for Aug. 13 and will involve replacing a space-to-ground communications antenna. A third spacewalk, scheduled for Aug. 25, will focus on connecting power-channel cables and data relay systems.
The mission will be Menon’s first opportunity to work outside the International Space Station in the vacuum of space.
According to NASA, Menon, a physician and engineer with family roots in Kerala, previously served as SpaceX’s first flight surgeon before being selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021.
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During the spacewalk, both astronauts will remain connected to the ISS through safety tethers while wearing pressurised Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuits designed to protect them from the harsh environment of space, NASA said.
NASA will broadcast the spacewalk live across its official platforms, allowing viewers worldwide to follow the nearly seven-hour mission in real time.
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