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Astronauts Install High-Speed Space-to-Ground Antenna on ISS

Initial power and data checks were positive with flight controllers scheduled to finish verification overnight.

Fotografía de abril de 2026 cedida por la Agencia Espacial Europea (ESA) donde aparece la astronauta francesa Sophie Adenot vistiendo un traje espacial dentro de la esclusa de aire Quest de la Estación Espacial Internacional (EEI).
Image
El astronauta Anil Menon es sujetado por el brazo robótico Canadarm2, que le guía hacia su puesto de trabajo en la EEI.

Overview

  • Two astronauts from ESA and NASA, Sophie Adenot and Anil Menon, completed a roughly six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk to install the new high-speed communications antenna on Tuesday.
  • The EVA ended at 14:57 Eastern time and crews on board used the Canadarm2 robotic arm while Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway operated the arm from inside the station.
  • Initial on-orbit tests showed the replacement antenna receiving power and transmitting data correctly and ground teams will run further technical checks overnight to confirm full operational status.
  • This was Adenot’s second EVA and Menon’s third, counted as the 98th EVA involving a U.S. participant and the 283rd EVA supporting station assembly and maintenance.
  • The work restores a key high-bandwidth link between the ISS and Houston and is part of routine maintenance as the 1998-built station is prepared for planned retirement and handover to commercial platforms by about 2030.