Tech Desk 
May 02, 2025
In a historic flight, NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain performed the fifth all-female spacewalk on May 1 to update the International Space Station (ISS).
The spacewalk was one of NASA's regular efforts to maintain the space station in excellent working condition until 2030.
NASA’s all-female spacewalk
This 5-hour and 44-minute spacewalk started at 9:05am EDT and was busy getting the station ready for a new complement of solar arrays.
McClain and Ayers performed portions of the mast canister modification kit and right struts to support the future IROSA (International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays).
The new solar panels, due to arrive later this year aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo mission, will add up to 30% power to the station.
Moreover, the upgrade will increase energy capacity from 160 to 215 kilowatts, allowing the ISS to accommodate additional science and technology experiments.
Interestingly, the astronauts also relocated an antenna utilised by Northrop Grumman's Cygnus cargo spacecraft and performed a few minor "get-ahead" tasks.
These involved installing jumper cables for power sharing between the US and Russian segments and loosening bolts on a debris cover.
Despite running out of time to complete each task, their performance was a significant stride in ISS maintenance. This was McClain's third spacewalk and Ayers' first.
