NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk completed US Spacewalk 101 this week, installing and deploying the eighth and final International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array in a roughly seven-hour excursion. The installation follows the seventh array, mounted on October 29, and closes out a five-year program to modernize the station’s power system.
The flexible arrays are manufactured by Redwire Space in a configuration designated Sunstone, with a deployed length of 19.4 meters, a stowed power density of roughly 40 kW per cubic meter and a mass of 331 kg per wing. SpaceX cargo missions deliver the rolled-up wings, which are mounted directly in front of the station’s original panels, in service since December 2000.
Rather than motors or mechanical hinges, each blanket assembly unrolls using strain-energy composite booms, giving the deployed wing high stiffness against launch vibration and orbital loads.
With all eight units operating, the augmentation delivers up to 30% more generation, expanding total capacity from 160 kW to approximately 215 kW. The extra power supports microgravity research, commercial payloads, and the demanding electrical load expected through the station’s planned controlled deorbit phase. The project is one of the most visible demonstrations of roll-out flexible PV technology, which Redwire has also positioned for terrestrial and commercial space applications.
✦ This article was adapted by AI from public news sources for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice.
