Jessica Meir’s Sixth Spacewalk Is Anil Menon’s First—How to Watch Aug. 6
It is not every day that a spacewalk pairs a seasoned astronaut with someone stepping outside the International Space Station for the first time. On Thursday, August 6, Jessica Meir is scheduled to make her sixth spacewalk while Anil Menon makes his first. For Houston space fans, it is an early-morning reason to put the coffee on: NASA’s live coverage is scheduled to begin at 6 a.m. CDT, with the spacewalk expected to start around 7:35 a.m. CDT.
This is a live broadcast to watch, not something you can spot in the Houston sky. But the work itself reaches straight back to Houston: Mission Control will support the crew as they prepare a vital power channel for the station’s next solar-array upgrade.
When can I watch Jessica Meir and Anil Menon’s spacewalk?
NASA’s July 27 advisory schedules U.S. spacewalk 96 for Thursday, August 6. NASA Live coverage is set to start at 7 a.m. EDT (6 a.m. CDT in Houston); the spacewalk is expected to start at 8:35 a.m. EDT (7:35 a.m. CDT). The outing is expected to last about six and a half hours, though spaceflight timelines can move.
- Watch: NASA Live
- Houston time: coverage 6 a.m. CDT; expected start 7:35 a.m. CDT
- Who: Jessica Meir, in the suit with red stripes, and Anil Menon, in an unmarked white suit
- What: preparing the ISS 3B power channel for a future Roll-Out Solar Array, or IROSA
If you are making a plan around it, use the coverage start—not the expected airlock exit—as your calendar anchor. NASA may adjust timing or tasks in the days before the event, so check NASA Live again on the morning of August 6.
Why is this spacewalk a milestone for Meir and Menon?
Meir’s sixth excursion continues a career that has already placed her among the astronauts trusted with the station’s most demanding exterior work. Menon’s first is the other side of the story: every new spacewalker brings years of training in the pool, procedures, tools, and teamwork to a moment that still feels astonishing when the hatch opens.
A spacewalk is rarely a solo showcase. The people outside are connected by tethers, checklists, handrails, radio loops, and a huge support team on the ground. That blend of personal milestone and practiced collaboration is why this is a satisfying watch even if you do not know every acronym.
What is the ISS 3B power-channel job?
The station gathers sunlight with its solar arrays, then routes that electricity through separate power channels. On August 6, the crew is scheduled to install hardware that modifies the 3B power channel. That work prepares the location for a new IROSA later this year.
Think of IROSAs as compact, modern solar wings that can be installed alongside existing station arrays. They help the ISS keep producing the electricity needed for daily science, life support, communications, and the long list of systems that keep an orbital home running. NASA says this future array will be the seventh IROSA and will support critical operations, including preparations for the station’s safe, controlled deorbit.
You do not need to memorize the hardware to enjoy the broadcast. Look for the scale: astronauts are working on a laboratory the size of a football field, with Earth rolling beneath them at roughly 17,500 mph.
Houston is part of the action—even when the camera is in orbit
The camera view may be hundreds of miles above Earth, but the operation is deeply Houston-linked. NASA’s Johnson Space Center hosts the preview news conference on July 30, and Mission Control teams in Houston support station operations and spacewalk decisions.
Want to make the connection tangible after the broadcast? Our Space Center Houston first-timer guide covers practical visit planning, from tickets to tram tours. For another snapshot of the people and systems behind station life, read how Houston is part of a Soyuz crew’s return home.
A simple, social way to watch
A dawn spacewalk is a lovely excuse for a low-key watch party: invite a couple of space-curious friends, cue NASA Live on the biggest screen available, and keep a second device handy for NASA updates. The quiet moments are part of the appeal—there can be long stretches of careful tool work punctuated by a breathtaking view of Earth.
If you would rather find people who already get excited by an ISS timeline, join the Cosmic Match space community. It is a simple way to meet fellow sky-watchers, swap plans for a NASA Live morning, and turn a headline into a shared experience.
One last timing note
Spacewalks are live operations, not appointments set in stone. Weather at launch sites is not the issue here, but station priorities, equipment checks, and crew schedules can still shift the plan. On August 6, open NASA Live before you pour the second coffee, and use NASA’s current schedule as the source of truth.
Meir’s sixth spacewalk and Menon’s first offer two ways into the same morning: a remarkable personal milestone and the unglamorous, essential work of keeping a space station powered for what comes next.
FAQ
What time does the Jessica Meir and Anil Menon spacewalk start?
NASA’s live coverage begins at 7 a.m. EDT on Thursday, August 6, with the spacewalk expected to start at 8:35 a.m. EDT. In Houston, that is 6 a.m. coverage and a 7:35 a.m. expected start.
Where can I watch the ISS spacewalk live?
NASA streams its spacewalk coverage on NASA Live. The broadcast is the practical way to follow the work; the astronauts will not be visible from Houston in the sky.
What will Meir and Menon do outside the ISS?
They will install hardware to modify the station’s 3B power channel, preparing it for a future International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array. The upgrade supports critical station operations and future deorbit planning.
Next spacewalk: Sophie Adenot and Anil Menon
Menon is now scheduled to return outside the station with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot for U.S. Spacewalk 97 on Aug. 18. Our Sophie Adenot Spacewalk 97 watch guide has the confirmed antenna-replacement task, NASA Live link, and a timing note for Austin, Houston, and Los Angeles.