NASA to broadcast two January ISS spacewalks, including solar-array prep

NASA will conduct two spacewalks outside the International Space Station on Thursday, Jan. 8, and Thursday, Jan. 15, and will provide live coverage. The agency said these will be the first two ISS spacewalks of 2026 and the first by Expedition 74. U.S. spacewalk 94 is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.

EST on Jan. 8 and last about six hours and 30 minutes. NASA will provide live coverage beginning at 6:30 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime and the agency’s YouTube channel. Astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman will exit the station’s Quest airlock to prepare the 2A power channel for future installation of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays; once installed, the array will provide additional power, including critical support of its safe and controlled deorbit.

Fincke will serve as spacewalk crew member 1 and wear a suit with red stripes; Cardman will serve as crew member 2 in an unmarked suit. The agency said this will be Cardman’s first spacewalk and Fincke’s 10th, tying him for the most spacewalks by a NASA astronaut. U.S. spacewalk 95 is scheduled to begin at 7:10 a.m.

on Jan. 15 and last about six hours and 30 minutes, with live coverage beginning at 5:40 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime and YouTube. During that outing, two NASA astronauts will replace a high-definition camera on camera port 3, install a planar reflector on the Harmony module’s forward port, and relocate an early ammonia servicer jumper along with other jumpers on the station’s S6 and S4 truss.

Key Topics

Science, Nasa, International Space Station, Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, Planar Reflector