Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk finisheed his second spacewalk on November 5, 2026, to complete power upgrades for the International Space Station. Working with NASA's Anil Menon, he installed the eighth and final solar array on the station's starboard truss.
Ending a seven-year gap since David Saint-Jacques' 2019 spacewalk
The completion of this mission marks a significant moment for the Canadian Space Agency, as Joshua Kutryk's recent activities represent a rare concentration of Canadian orbital work. according to the report, Kutryk is only the fifth Canadian to ever perform a spacewalk. This milestone follows a period of relative quiet for Canadian extravehicular activity, with David Saint-Jacques being the last Canadian to step outside the station in 2019.
These high-stakes maneuvers are considered among the most hazardous tasks an astronaut can undertake. While the Canadian Space Agency notes that such work is essential for station maintenance and equipment installation, the physical and technical demands are immense. Kutryk’s ability to execute two such missions within a single two-week window highlights the intensive training and precision required for the SpaceX Crew-13 mission.
The eighth solar array on the starboard truss
The installation of the final solar array on the starboard side of the station's truss completes a major structural and functional upgrade for the International Space Station.. Joshua Kutryk and NASA astronaut Anil Menon worked together to secure the component, which is designed to significantly boost the station's power supply for the coming years. This specific task was the culmination of a two-stage process that began on October 29, 2026, when the pair successfully installed the first seven arrays.
During the November 5 mission, Kutryk was the first to exit the airlock, identifiable by a distinct red stripe on his spacesuit legs. This successful deployment ensures that the orbiting laboratory has the electrical capacity necessary to support long-term scientific operations and upcoming maintenance requirements.
Six months of research for the SpaceX Crew-13 mission
The SpaceX Crew-13 mission, which launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on October 1, 2026, is scheduled to last approximately six months. While the solar array installation was a primary objective, the crew is also tasked with a wide array of scientific research and general station maintenance. As reported by the source, the suuccessful conclusion of the solar work marks a major milestone for the outpost's power systems.
The mission's timeline places Kutryk and his crewmates in a critical position to facilitate new research enabled by the upgraded power grid. With the hardware now in place, the focus of the Crew-13 mission will likely shift from heavy structural installation to the more granular scientific experiments that the statoin's enhanced capacity can support.
The undisclosed scientific objectives for the Crew-13 mission
Despite the successful completion of the power upgrade, the exact nature of the scientific research to be conducted by the Crew-13 astronauts remains unstated. The report notes that the crew will perform research, but it does not specify which biological, physical, or technological experiments are on the manifest. Furthermore, while the solar arrays are now installed, the full impact of the increased power capacity on specific station modules has yet to be detailed.
Observers are also waiting to see how the mission's remaining months will be prioritized now that the primary engineering goal has been met. Whether the crew will focus on additional maintenance or pivot more heavily toward the station's scientific payload remains an open question for the mission's command structure.
Comments 0