Two critical spacewalks are coming to the International Space Station this January
NASA is preparing for a high-stakes series of extravehicular activities to upgrade the orbital laboratory's power and navigation. From installing massive new solar arrays to replacing high-definition cameras, these missions represent the 278th and 279th spacewalks in the station's history.
In early January 2026, NASA astronauts will perform two distinct missions outside the International Space Station. The first mission, scheduled for Thursday, January 8, involves astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman. They will exit the station through the Quest airlock to ready the 2A power channel for the upcoming installation of International Space and Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSAs). This new hardware is vital, as it will provide the necessary power for the laboratory's ongoing operations and support its eventual safe, controlled deorbit.
This particular mission holds personal significance for the crew: it marks Cardman's very first spacewalk, while Fincke will be performing his 10th, a feat that ties him for the record of most spacewalks by a NASA astronaut. The second mission, set for Thursday, January 15, will focus on hardware maintenance and upgrades. The crew will replace a high-definition camera located on camera port 3 and install a planar reflector—a new navigational aid for visiting spacecraft—on the forward port of the Harmony module.
The second EVA also includes complex plumbing tasks, such as relocating an early ammonia servicer jumper, which is a flexible hose assembly used in the station's fluid systems, along with other jumpers on the S4 and S6 trusses. While the specific astronauts for the January 15 mission have yet to be announced, these two excursions represent the first spacewalks of 2026 and the first for the Expedition 74 crew.
Source: U.S. Spacewalk Preview News Conference (Jan. 6, 2026)
