Hands‑On in Space: NASA’s 6‑Hour Power‑Up Walk

Sun Sep 06 2026 14:17:24 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

See how two astronauts spent a long, smooth walk outside the ISS installing hardware that will power future solar panels.

NASA’s Anil Menon and Jessica Meir spent 6.5 hours outside the International Space Station installing mounting hardware for the 3B power channel. That work paves the way for new roll‑out solar arrays that will keep the ISS humming. The video shows the astronauts in their suits, gripping the tools and moving in sync with each other’s motions. Fans of space tech can see how real engineering happens in micro‑gravity, and learn why small steps lead to huge power gains for the station. Who’s ready for a quick science quiz?

Behind the 6‑Hour Walk

Anil Menon and Jessica Meir hopped onto the ISS’s exterior and spent a solid 6.5 hours installing key mounting hardware on the 3B power channel. This hardware prepares the station for new roll‑out solar arrays that will provide extra power for future missions.

What Happens on the Outside?

A spacewalk isn’t about flying in space— the astronauts float close to the ISS and use tethers and robots to keep themselves safe. Once they’re in place, they align the hardware, hand‑tighten bolts, and double‑check that the solar panels can slide onto the arm later. Every click counts in a zero‑gravity world.

Why It Matters

Solar panels generate the ISS’s electricity, so adding more panels boosts power for communications, experiments and crew life‑support. The more power, the more experiments NASA can run.