• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Anil Menon completed his historic first spacewalk outside ISS.
  2. Mission involved upgrading space station's crucial power system.
  3. Milestone for Indian-origin astronaut, hailing from Kerala.

An Indian-origin person has once again achieved a new milestone in the field of space. Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon exited the International Space Station (ISS) and carried out his historic first spacewalk, marking a major milestone in his career.

Veteran NASA astronaut Jessica Meir joined Menon on NASA's 6.5-hour Extravehicular Activity mission (EVA). Meir conducted her sixth spacewalk. Together, they performed the crucial task of upgrading the space station's power system.

Understand The Key Points Of This Mission

Menon and Meir's primary objective was to install new hardware on the space station's '3B Power Channel'. This work was done in preparation for the future installation of new solar panels (IROSA).

Why Is This Upgrade Necessary?

The old solar panels on the space station have weakened over time. These new, modern solar panels will significantly increase the station's power generation capacity, ensuring uninterrupted power supply for scientific experiments and life-support systems.

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The Challenges Of A Spacewalk

It's important to note that working in the vacuum of space is extremely dangerous and challenging. Astronauts must perform every task with utmost caution and safety while experiencing extreme temperatures and orbiting the Earth at a speed of approximately 28,000 kilometers per hour.

ALSO READ: 'Hello From ISS': Indian-Origin NASA Astronaut Anil Menon Shares First Video From Space | Watch

This spacewalk was the first of three space missions scheduled this month. Two more spacewalks are planned for August 13 to replace a communications antenna and August 25 to upgrade a data relay system.

Anil Menon's Journey

It's worth noting that Menon, born in America, was born to an Indian father and a Ukrainian mother. Before being selected for NASA, Menon was a doctor, mechanical engineer, and SpaceX's first flight surgeon. Menon, who hails from Palakkad in Kerala, is scheduled to undertake three spacewalks beginning August 6 along with fellow astronaut Meir.

However, from India's perspective, this moment is also special because, while India is preparing for its ambitious Gaganyaan mission, Indian-origin individuals like Anil Menon are bringing glory to the country in the world of space, like Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams.

(With Jagran.com Inputs)

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