NASA Astronaut Anil Menon Preps For His First Spacewalk

India-West News Desk

HOUSTON, TX – NASA astronaut Anil Menon is gearing up for the first of three spacewalks planned at the International Space Station in August, as Expedition 75 crew members spent July 28 preparing spacesuits, conducting medical research and carrying out routine station operations.

Menon will join Expedition 75 commander Jessica Meir for the first spacewalk on August 6. The excursion is expected to last about six-and-a-half hours and will focus on preparing the station for the installation of the station’s seventh roll-out solar array, part of ongoing work to strengthen its power system.

As preparations gathered pace, Menon, Meir, fellow NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot assembled in the Quest airlock to inspect two spacesuits. The crew first checked the suits for comfort and mobility before powering them up to verify their life-support and electronic systems. NASA has not announced the astronauts who will take part in the second and third August spacewalks.

Beyond the spacewalk preparations, Menon has continued familiarizing himself with day-to-day operations aboard the station as he settled into his responsibilities, NASA said.