Full Breakdown
ISS Antenna Removal EVA on August 18, 2026
8/19/2026, 11:03:23 AM
Background: Antenna Failure and Mission Objectives
Since November 2025 a Space-to-Ground antenna mounted on the Z-1 truss of the International Space Station (ISS) had been unable to track NASA’s data-relay satellites, rendering it inoperable for high-speed communications with Mission Control in Houston. A backup antenna has been in use, but the failed unit needed removal and replacement to restore full redundancy. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) scheduled an extravehicular activity (EVA) for Expedition 75 crew members to accomplish the task.
Core Event: Removal of the Failed Antenna
On August 18 2026 NASA astronaut Anil Menon and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot began the EVA at 8:29 a.m. EDT (12:29 GMT). The pair successfully detached the antenna from its mount on the Z-1 truss, but encountered unexpected delays while disconnecting electrical connectors and securing the gimbal bolts. Their total EVA time was 6 hours 23 minutes, slightly under the six-and-a-half-hour window allocated for the operation. The astronauts stowed the antenna on the truss and returned to the Quest airlock, ending the EVA at 2:52 p.m. EDT (18:52 GMT). This was the 282nd ISS EVA and Menon’s second, bringing his cumulative EVA time to 12 hours 50 minutes. Adenot became the first French woman and the fifth French citizen to conduct a spacewalk.
Official Statements & Responses
After the EVA, Menon reflected, “We got into this with the mindset that we wanted everything to go perfectly” — a sentiment highlighting the crew’s preparation for contingencies. Mission managers indicated that a replacement-antenna installation will be considered for a subsequent EVA, either on the planned walk later this month or at a later date.
What’s Next: Scheduling the Replacement
NASA and ESA will decide whether to add the antenna-replacement task to the EVA slated for later this month or to schedule a separate outing. The decision will depend on crew availability, remaining EVA time, and the status of other ISS maintenance priorities.
