Astronauts Replace ISS Space-to-Ground Antenna in Successful Second Spacewalk

Overview

• NASA astronauts Sophie Adenot and Anil Menon completed a roughly six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk on Tuesday, August 25 to install a replacement Space-to-Ground antenna and secure the defective unit in storage.
• The SGANT links the ISS with Mission Control in Houston to carry high‑bandwidth science data and communications, and early checks during the outing reported good power and satisfactory data transmission.
• The second EVA followed a stalled first attempt on August 18 when stubborn bolts and electrical connectors used up available time, and ground teams planned the follow-up in advance.
• Crew inside the station — Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway — used the Canadarm2 to position the astronauts and hardware, and the spacewalkers improvised fixes on orbit including using a toothbrush to apply grease while Adenot reported increasing stiffness in her suit's left shoulder.
• The mission highlights intensive EVA training, the practical realities of on‑orbit maintenance, and a national milestone for Adenot as the first French woman to perform a spacewalk while ensuring the ISS's critical communications for science and visiting vehicles.