NASA astronauts prep ISS for new solar arrays on spacewalk

On May 1, NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers completed the fifth all-female spacewalk in history, working for 5 hours and 44 minutes to move an antenna and prepare the International Space Station for new solar arrays.

They began by assembling attachment hardware for the upcoming Rollout Solar Arrays, which will increase the station’s power capacity by up to 30%.

The astronauts also relocated an antenna and completed additional tasks before returning to the airlock.

This was McClain’s third spacewalk and Ayers’ first, Space.com has reported.

The spacewalk was part of ongoing efforts to maintain and upgrade the ISS.

Written by B.C. Begley