Astronaut Anil Menon set to undertake maiden spacewalk next week

Astronaut Anil Menon is set to undertake his first spacewalk next week as he steps out of the International Space Station to upgrade solar arrays, replace a communications antenna and fix new data and power cables to support operations of the orbital lab.

Menon, who traces his origins to Palakkad in Kerala, is scheduled to undertake three spacewalks beginning August 6 along with fellow astronaut Jessica Meir and prepare the orbital lab for the future installation of the International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) later this year, NASA said in a statement on Monday.

The IROSA will provide additional power to support critical station operations, including its safe and controlled deorbit.

The spacewalks are scheduled to be held on August 6, August 13 and August 25.

During the second spacewalk on August 13, two astronauts will replace a Space-to-Ground antenna on the orbital complex. The antenna is a critical communication system NASA uses to transmit data and high-speed communication between the Mission Control Centre in Houston and the space station.

During the spacewalk on August 25, the crew members will connect power channel cables and data relay systems as part of ongoing maintenance, including preparations for the space station’s future deorbit.

The astronauts will also replace a navigational aid used for spacecraft docking on the Harmony module’s forward port, NASA said.

Last week, Menon shared a breathtaking view of Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site in South Texas, as seen from space, offering a unique perspective of the launch site through photographs captured from orbit.

“Our view of Starbase from space! Here’s to a successful launch. Send it,” Menon said.

Menon, a NASA astronaut born in Minneapolis to an Indian father with roots in Kerala and a Ukrainian mother, reached the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft on July 14.

He is scheduled to spend about eight months in orbit, where he will take part in scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and station operations.