Indian-origin astronaut Anil Menon to fix antenna in space for 6.5 hours

Indian-origin astronaut Anil Menon and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot will venture outside the station to replace a high-speed data and communications antenna.In other words, another spacewalk is brewing aboard the International Space Station (ISS), just days after astronauts completed a major power-system upgrade outside the orbiting laboratory.Nasa astronauts and their crewmates are now preparing for the next operation, scheduled for August 18. Nasa's Jack Hathaway assists astronaut Anil Menon aboard the ISS. (Photo: Nasa) WHAT IS A SPACEWALK?A spacewalk, formally called an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA), is when an astronaut leaves a spacecraft to work in the vacuum of space. Outside the ISS, astronauts wear specially designed spacesuits that provide oxygen, pressure, cooling and protection from the harsh environment.They remain connected to the station with safety tethers and use handrails to move around. Astronauts participate in a spacewalk during construction of the ISS. (Photo: Nasa) The spacesuits essentially act as small personal spacecraft, allowing astronauts to carry out repairs, install equipment and upgrade the station without returning hardware to Earth.The upcoming operation is expected to last about six and a half hours.Nasa plans to begin live coverage of the spacewalk at 4:30 pm IST, with the spacewalk scheduled to start at about 6:05 pm IST.WHAT WILL ANIL MENON DO DURING SPACEWALK?The pair will remove a failed Space-to-Ground antenna, store it on an external platform and install a spare on the station's Z1 truss.The antenna is an important communications link, allowing the ISS to exchange data and high-speed communications with Mission Control in Houston. Astronauts Jack Hathaway and Sophie Adenot pose for a portrait aboard the ISS. (Photo: Nasa) Menon and Adenot have been rehearsing the procedure, checking spacesuits and reviewing how they would move and work outside the station.Nasa astronauts Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir will help them get into and out of their suits, while Hathaway will operate the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm during the spacewalk.WHAT HAPPENED DURING US SPACEWALK 96?The operation comes shortly after Menon's first-ever spacewalk on August 6, when he and Meir spent 6 hours 27 minutes outside the ISS preparing its 3B power channel for a future roll-out solar array. Nasa astronaut Anil Menon conducts his first spacewalk outside the ISS. (Photo: Nasa) The work was designed to make it possible to add another solar array and increase the station's power supply. It was also the 281st spacewalk supporting ISS assembly, maintenance and upgrades.The August 18 mission will be Menon's second spacewalk and Adenot's first and will also make Adenot the first French woman to conduct a spacewalk, according to Nasa.- EndsPublished On: Aug 14, 2026 12:05 IST