Indian‑origin astronaut Anil Menon exited the International Space Station on Tuesday for his second spacewalk, teaming with European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot to replace a critical space‑to‑ground antenna. The excursion began at 8:37 a.m. EDT and was expected to last about six hours and 30 minutes; NASA and the ISS carried the operation live and later shared footage showing the pair working on electrical and data connectors.
Menon, who traces his roots to Kerala in India, carried out his second EVA alongside Adenot, for whom the outing was a career milestone: her first spacewalk and the first ever by a French woman. As the two completed pre‑EVA buddy checks, Houston mission control greeted Adenot with, “Welcome to space.” The astronauts then moved toward the station’s Z1 truss, a segment near the centre of the ISS backbone, to carry out the antenna swap.
The replaced antenna forms part of the ISS communications backbone, enabling high‑speed data transfer between the orbital lab and NASA’s Mission Control in Houston. NASA described the work as involving a series of electrical and data connectors that are vital for restoring and maintaining the station’s communications capacity.
This operation marked the 282nd spacewalk conducted in support of the station’s assembly, maintenance and upgrades. Spacewalks are routine but essential: crews regularly repair equipment, install new systems and upgrade hardware to keep the ageing outpost operational.
Menon had earlier performed his first spacewalk earlier this month, spending six hours and 27 minutes outside the ISS with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir to work on the station’s power system in preparation for a future roll‑out solar array. As the orbital laboratory approaches three decades of continuous human habitation, such repairs and replacements remain crucial to its safety and long‑term serviceability.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/watch-indian-origin-nasa-astronaut-anil-menon-takes-second-spacewalk/articleshow/133330977.cms
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Publish Date: 2026-08-19 00:24:00
