Two astronauts successfully installed the eighth and final International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) during a spacewalk on November 5, completing a five-year power system upgrade.
NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk conducted the extravehicular activity (EVA), beginning at 8:36 a.m. ET and lasting several hours. The installation took place on the far right end of the station’s power truss, marking the culmination of upgrades initiated in 2021.
The final two IROSAs were delivered to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Cargo Dragon capsule earlier in November, folded and stowed in the spacecraft’s unpressurized trunk. The station’s robotic arm, Canadarm II, positioned both arrays on the left side of the power truss ahead of installation.
During the spacewalk, Menon and Kutryk handed off the final IROSA in a relay-style transfer due to the robotic arm’s limited reach. The Canadarm II could not transport Menon directly to the installation site, requiring the astronauts to pass the array between them to complete the deployment.
The upgrade project began in 2021 with the installation of the first IROSA at the base of one of the station’s original eight solar wings. Six additional panels were installed in subsequent spacewalks, including the seventh array deployed last week. The new arrays are designed to compensate for the age-related degradation of the station’s original solar panels, boosting power output for ongoing and future operations.
Kutryk, who wore a space suit with a red stripe on his legs for identification, conducted his second spacewalk in two weeks. He became the fifth Canadian astronaut to perform a spacewalk on October 29, when he and Menon installed seven of the eight new arrays.
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) emphasized that spacewalks are among the most difficult and dangerous tasks for astronauts, requiring extensive preparation and support from ground teams. The CSA noted that such EVAs are essential for repairing or installing critical equipment on the ISS.
The mission, part of Expedition 70, is expected to last six months, with Menon and Kutryk among the crew members who arrived at the station on October 1 aboard the SpaceX Crew-13 mission. The completed solar array upgrade ensures the ISS can continue operating at full capacity as it approaches two decades in orbit.