These spacewalks will be carried out to strengthen the Station’s power system, prepare for the installation of new solar panels, and perform necessary technical repairs.
NASA to conduct two major spacewalks
Washington DC: The National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) to is going to conduct two important spacewalks at the International Space Station in January.
These spacewalks will be carried out to strengthen the Station's power system, prepare for the installation of new solar panels, and perform necessary technical repairs.
NASA On X
The main objective of theses spacewalks is to improve the NASA power system and complete necessary repair work. This information was shared by NASA on its social media X handle (@NASA).
Stay tuned for spacewalks! Our astronauts will be stepping outside the
on Jan. 8 and Jan. 15—and we're holding a news briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 6, to share more details and take questions. Learn when and how to tune in: go.nasa.gov/4jiecBP
Press Briefing
NASA will details of these spacewalks at a media briefing to be held at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on January 6. This briefing will be streamed live on NASA's YouTube channel and social media platforms.
First Spacewalk On 8 January
The first spacewalk is scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2026. NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman will exit the space station's Quest airlock.
Their main task is to prepare the '2A power channel' for the future installation of the 'International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array' (iROSA). These new solar panels will provide more power to the space station. This will also be crucial for the safe and controlled deorbit of the station in the future. Notably, this will be Zena Cardman's first spacewalk, while it will be Mike Fincke's 10th.
With this, Fincke will equal the record for the most spacewalks in NASA history. This record is currently held by veteran NASA astronauts like Peggy Whitson and Michael Lopez-Alegria, who have also performed 10 spacewalks each. Second Spacewalk on January 15, 2026
Second Spacewalk
The second spacewalk will take place on 15 January. During this spacewalk, the high-definition camera on Camera Port 3 will be replaced. A new navigation device (planar reflector) will also be installed on the Harmony module for visiting spacecraft.
Additionally, an ammonia servicing jumper (fluid pipe) on the station's S6 and S4 trusses will be relocated. NASA will provide information on the astronauts participating in this spacewalk and the exact timing at a later date.
