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Full Breakdown

100th U.S. Spacewalk Powers ISS Upgrade

By Drooid · · How we work

In this breakdown

01

Core Event: Installation of the Seventh Roll-Out Solar Array

On October 29 2026, NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Joshua Kutryk performed a 7-hour-11-minute extravehicular activity (EVA) from the International Space Station’s (ISS) Quest airlock. Working together with the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm, the pair unbolted, positioned, and released a 750-pound (340 kg) International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) on the port-side truss. The array self-unfurled to its full 63-foot (19-meter) length without a motor, adding a new power-generation wing to the aging station.

Space.comCanadian astronaut to conduct his first spacewalk Thursday CBC NewsWESH - Orlando News

02

Background & Context

The ISS’s original eight solar array wings have exceeded their 15-year design life, reducing overall power output. Beginning in 2021, NASA launched a five-year upgrade that adds pairs of flexible iROSA panels to supplement the legacy arrays. The new panels are lighter, stored rolled-up on a spool, and deploy using stored potential energy. The upgrade is intended to raise the station’s power capacity by up to 30 % and to provide the surplus needed for ongoing operations and the planned safe, controlled deorbit scheduled for 2030.

Canadian astronaut to conduct his first spacewalk Thursday

Visual evidence

Images from the story

two astronauts in bulky white space suits maneuver on the outside of a large facility covered in solar panels and machinery
two astronauts in bulky white space suits maneuver on the outside of a large facility covered in solar panels and machineryPhoto: space
two astronauts in white spacesuits are seen outside a space station during a spacewalk
two astronauts in white spacesuits are seen outside a space station during a spacewalkPhoto: space
NASA astronaut Anil Menon carries a rolled-up solar array to the site where it will be deployed while riding on the end of the Canadarm robotic arm during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Image
NASA astronaut Anil Menon carries a rolled-up solar array to the site where it will be deployed while riding on the end of the Canadarm robotic arm during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (ImagePhoto: space
A view of the new solar array installed by spacewalk astronauts on Oct. 29, 2026. (Image
A view of the new solar array installed by spacewalk astronauts on Oct. 29, 2026. (ImagePhoto: space
Joshua Kutryk is on his first mission in space and his trip outside the space station was expected to be his first of two spacewalks. Supplied
Joshua Kutryk is on his first mission in space and his trip outside the space station was expected to be his first of two spacewalks. SuppliedPhoto: theglobeandmail
Spacewalk Meir Koch Jan152020 NASA
Spacewalk Meir Koch Jan152020 NASAPhoto: theweathernetwork
The seventh and penultimate International Space Station (ISS) roll-out solar array (IROSA) is seen unfurling after its installation by two spacewalkers on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Image
The seventh and penultimate International Space Station (ISS) roll-out solar array (IROSA) is seen unfurling after its installation by two spacewalkers on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (ImagePhoto: space
From left: Astronauts Anil Menon of NASA and Kutryk of Canadian Space Agency. Supplied
From left: Astronauts Anil Menon of NASA and Kutryk of Canadian Space Agency. SuppliedPhoto: theglobeandmail

03

Data & Statistics

  • EVA duration: 7 h 11 min
Space.com
  • Deployed length: 63 ft (19 m)
Space.com
  • Power increase from iROSA pairs: 20 %–30 % (per NASA)
Canadian astronaut to conduct his first spacewalk Thursday
  • Reported capacity boost: 160 kW -> 215 kW (CSA) vs. ?152 kW -> ?200 kW (other outlets)
NASA, Canada Astronauts Complete 100th ISS Spacewalk

04

Official Statements & Responses

Mission control in Houston described the EVA as “essentially flawless.” CSA officials highlighted the collaborative effort, noting that capcom Jenni Gibbons and the CSA Robotics Mission Control Centre in Longueuil provided real-time guidance, while Canadian robotics contributed directly through Canadarm2.

A first spacewalk in the books for Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk

05

Verbatim Quotes

  • “Being outside, I can say it is always sunny in space,” — Anil Menon, at the conclusion of Thursday's EVA
Space.com
  • “A spacewalk is, for many astronauts, it's the peak of their career,” — David Saint-Jacques
CBC News
  • “Josh, I know you're gonna do a good job. You've got this.” — David Saint-Jacques
CBC News
  • “From Luke and I on the other side of the hatch, good luck. We’re proud of you and we’ll see you on the other side,” — Jessica Watkins
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
  • “Canada delivers. And so I’m very, very proud of our space sector,” — David Saint-Jacques
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

06

Conflicting Reports & Gaps

Sources differ on the exact power-capacity figures after the iROSA upgrades. The Canadian Space Agency reports a rise from 160 kW to about 215 kW, whereas other reporting outlets cite an increase from roughly 152 kW to about 200 kW. Both figures are presented as estimates from credible agencies, but the discrepancy remains unresolved.

NASA, Canada Astronauts Complete 100th ISS Spacewalk

07

What’s Next

A second EVA is scheduled for November 5 to install the eighth and final iROSA, completing the upgrade campaign that began in 2021. Once all eight panels are in place, the ISS is expected to achieve the projected 30 % power-generation boost, securing sufficient energy for its remaining operational lifespan.

Space.com