ISS spacewalk: NASA astronauts complete repairs to Canadarm2
ORLANDO, Fla. - NASA astronauts Chris Williams and Jessica Meir completed a 7-hour, 20-minute spacewalk Tuesday to replace a malfunctioning wrist joint on the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm.
The spacewalk ended at 3:40 p.m. EDT after the astronauts successfully removed and installed the replacement joint, the mission's primary objective.
Following the repair, flight controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center powered up Canadarm2 and completed an initial check of the system's power and data connections. Ground teams will continue testing the robotic arm over the coming week by moving it through a series of system checkouts.
Why did the robotic arm malfunction?
Big picture view:
NASA and the Canadian Space Agency decided to replace the wrist joint after it malfunctioned May 27, when the arm drew higher-than-normal motor current and failed to move as expected during routine operations.
The robotic arm is an important part of the ISS and is used to move large equipment and capture cargo vehicles.
The Canadarm2 robotic arm extended from a fixture attached to the Harmony module.(Credit: NASA/Chris Williams)
The 56-foot-long Canadarm2 has been in operation for more than 25 years.
SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS
2nd spacewalk of 2026 for NASA astronauts
The spacewalk was the second of Williams' career and the fifth for Meir. The pair also performed a spacewalk together back in March to install a solar array modification kit.
It was also the 280th spacewalk conducted in support of International Space Station assembly, maintenance and upgrades.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP
Williams and Meir had help from NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot who helped the duo into their suits and maneuver the Canadarm2 into position for repairs.
Watch the spacewalk
Repairs are expected
What's next:
The agencies said repairs to Canadarm2 are expected after more than 25 years of continuous service. The robotic arm was designed with replaceable components to support routine maintenance throughout its operational life.
The faulty wrist joint will be returned to Earth for inspection and refurbishment and could be used again on Canadarm2 if needed.
The Source: This article was written with information released by NASA.