Beyond the airlock: How NASA astronauts maintain the International Space Station's vital infrastructure

Space · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Spacewalks are essential for keeping the International Space Station operational, from upgrading power grids to repairing critical communication links. As astronauts venture into the vacuum of space, they perform complex tasks that ensure the station remains a hub for human innovation and research for years to come.

In August 2026, NASA scheduled three consecutive spacewalks to perform critical maintenance on the International Space Station. These missions, designated as spacewalks 96, 97, and 98, focused on upgrading the station's power systems and communications hardware. During the first mission on August 6, astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon installed hardware to modify the 3B power channel, a necessary step for the future delivery of the seventh International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA). This array is vital for providing the additional power required for ongoing station operations and its eventual safe, controlled deorbit.

The subsequent spacewalks on August 18 and August 25 involved NASA astronaut Anil Menon and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. Their primary objective was replacing a Space-to-Ground antenna, a critical link that enables high-speed data transmission between the station and the Mission Control Center in Houston. These extravehicular activities, which typically last about six and a half hours, are part of a long history of maintenance efforts; by August 2026, the total count of spacewalks conducted for station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades had reached 283.

These operations are meticulously planned by flight directors and experts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Beyond the physical labor, the station requires constant trajectory monitoring to account for atmospheric drag, which can cause minor errors in its projected path. Flight controllers update this trajectory data roughly three times a week to ensure safe rendezvous for visiting spacecraft. This commitment to maintenance, spanning over 25 years of continuous U.S. human presence, demonstrates the complex logistical effort required to sustain a laboratory orbiting at 17,500 miles per hour.

While the work is routine for the agency, it remains high-stakes. Astronauts must navigate the harsh environment of space, where even minor equipment issues—such as water accumulation in a helmet, as reported during a 2015 mission—are managed with rigorous safety protocols. These missions not only keep the station functional but also push the boundaries of what humans can achieve in orbit, ensuring the facility remains a unique convergence of science and technology.

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