Astronauts Race Against Time to Fix ISS Antenna in Spacewalk
NASA and ESA astronauts completed a six-hour spacewalk to replace a faulty ISS antenna but ran out of time for the installation. The task will be rescheduled for a future outing.
Two astronauts, including the first French woman to conduct a spacewalk, ventured outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, to repair a critical antenna. NASA astronaut Anil Menon and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot were tasked with removing a malfunctioning Space-to-Ground antenna that has been inoperable since November, impacting the station's ability to track NASA's data relay satellites. While they successfully removed the faulty equipment, the complexity of the disconnection and securing procedures meant they could not complete the installation of the replacement, requiring a follow-up mission.
The spacewalk, which commenced at 8:29 a.m. EDT, lasted 6 hours and 23 minutes, concluding when Menon and Adenot returned to the U.S. Quest airlock. Spacewalk planners had initially allotted approximately six and a half hours for the operation. The crewmates managed to detach the failed antenna from its mounting on the station's truss but encountered unforeseen delays with its electrical connections and the gimbal bolts used to secure the large dish assembly for transport. Due to these time constraints, flight controllers instructed the astronauts to tether the old antenna to the truss and postpone the installation of the new one.
"We got into this with the mindset that we wanted everything to go perfectly," NASA astronaut Anil Menon stated after the spacewalk. "Things were a lot different than expected, but what I would say that I am really impressed with is that all of those contingencies were well thought out." The crew successfully secured the antenna for future retrieval, leaving the replacement for a subsequent extravehicular activity (EVA). Mission managers are now evaluating whether to incorporate this task into an EVA already planned for the following week, August 25, or to schedule it for a later date.
Challenges in Space Maintenance
The task highlights the intricate and often unpredictable nature of maintaining complex systems like the ISS in orbit. Even with meticulous planning, unexpected difficulties can arise, demanding flexibility and expertise from the astronaut crews and ground support teams. The failed antenna, known as SGANT, is crucial for high-speed communications with Mission Control Houston. While a secondary antenna has been operational, ensuring continued data transmission, the repair was necessary to restore full communication capabilities.
This spacewalk marked a significant milestone for Sophie Adenot, an ESA astronaut. Her participation made her the first French woman, and the fifth French citizen overall, to perform a spacewalk. She joins a prestigious group of French astronauts including Jean-Loup Chrétien, Jean-Pierre Haigneré, Philippe Perrin, and Thomas Pesquet. "What a day!" Adenot exclaimed. "My deepest gratitude to everyone who made this possible — the pioneers who came before us, but also the incredible teams working behind the scenes today." This was Adenot's inaugural venture into the vacuum of space.
For Anil Menon, this was his second spacewalk. His previous EVA occurred on August 6, with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, bringing his total spacewalking time to 12 hours and 50 minutes. This latest excursion was the 282nd spacewalk conducted in support of the ISS's assembly, maintenance, and upgrades since its inception. The successful removal of the faulty antenna, despite the inability to complete the installation, represents progress in the ongoing effort to ensure the ISS remains a fully functional research laboratory and operational outpost.