Watch LIVE: Indian-origin astronaut Anil Menon to begin first spacewalk

Nasa astronaut Anil Menon is set to step outside the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time on Thursday, August 6, joining fellow astronaut Jessica Meir for a spacewalk focused on upgrading the station's power system.The US Spacewalk 96 is set to commence later in the day as the astronauts begin their work in the vacuum of space.Nasa's live coverage will begin at 4:30 pm IST, with the spacewalk scheduled to start at 6:05 pm IST and last about six and a half hours.WATCH US SPACEWALK 96 LIVE HERE WHAT IS US SPACEWALK 96?Meir and Menon will leave the ISS through the Quest airlock, the station's dedicated gateway for spacewalks. Their main task will be to install hardware that modifies the station's 3B power channel, preparing it for the future installation of another International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA).The new solar array is scheduled to arrive later this year and will be the seventh IROSA installed on the space station. Once in place, it will provide additional electricity for critical station operations, including systems supporting the station's eventual safe and controlled de-orbit. Nasa astronaut Anil Menon reacts during a check of his spacesuit. (Photo: Reuters) WHAT WILL ASTRONAUTS DO DURING THE SPACEWALK?For Menon, the operation marks a major milestone, being the Indian-origin astronaut's first spacewalk. Meanwhile, it will be Meir's sixth.Meir will serve as spacewalk crew member 1 and wear a spacesuit with red stripes, while Menon will be crew member 2 and wear an unmarked suit.The work is part of Nasa's broader effort to maintain and upgrade the International Space Station.Spacewalks allow astronauts to carry out repairs and install equipment outside the station that cannot be handled from inside.US Spacewalk 96 will also be the 281st spacewalk conducted in support of ISS assembly, maintenance and upgrades. A nighttime cityscape of India is seen from the International Space Station. (Photo: PTI) A BUSY MONTH OF SPACEWALKSSpacewalk 96 is the first of three US spacewalks scheduled for August.On August 13, Spacewalk 97 will involve replacing a space-to-ground communications antenna, which Nasa uses to transmit data and high-speed communications between Mission Control in Houston and the station.Then, on August 25, Spacewalk 98 will focus on connecting power-channel cables and data relay systems as part of continuing station maintenance.The astronauts will also replace a navigation aid used by visiting spacecraft during docking at the Harmony module's forward port.Together, the three space excursions are part of the continuing work to keep the ageing orbital laboratory operational while preparing for its eventual end of service.For Menon, however, August 6 will be a more immediate challenge and an achievement; stepping out of the ISS for the first time and beginning several hours of work hundreds of kilometres above Earth.- EndsPublished On: Aug 6, 2026 16:30 IST