Sophie Adenot and Anil Menon Finish the ISS Antenna Repair on Spacewalk 98

On Aug. 25, 2026, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and NASA astronaut Anil Menon completed the International Space Station antenna repair that a first outing had left unfinished. During U.S. Spacewalk 98, the pair mounted and connected a spare Space-to-Ground antenna, activated it, and received good initial power and data indications. The spacewalk lasted 6 hours, 30 minutes and was the 283rd ISS assembly, maintenance, and upgrade spacewalk.

It is a satisfying two-part mission story: the Aug. 18 outing, Spacewalk 97, removed the failed antenna but stubborn bolts and connectors prevented installation of the replacement. A week later, Spacewalk 98 finished the job. NASA says ground teams will continue testing; the encouraging initial indication is not yet a final overnight test result.

What happened on Spacewalk 98?

NASA astronaut Anil Menon and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot stepped outside the station on Aug. 25 to complete the communications repair. Their target was a spare Space-to-Ground antenna, a critical link for high-speed data transmission between the orbital laboratory and NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston.

NASA reports that the astronauts successfully installed and connected the spare antenna. They then activated it; initial checkouts showed good power and data transmission. Controllers continued testing afterward to verify full functionality. The failed antenna—removed during the earlier spacewalk and temporarily stowed—was secured to the station’s spare-parts platform on the truss.

For Houston-area readers, this is a mission-operations connection, not a local sky event: the work supports communications between the ISS and Mission Control. The spacewalk itself was visible through the mission’s cameras, not from backyards or telescopes on the ground.

How did Spacewalk 97 and Spacewalk 98 fit together?

The first outing on Aug. 18 was not a failed mission. On Spacewalk 97, Adenot and Menon removed the failed antenna, but ESA says stuck bolts and connectors delayed the installation of the spare. That made a second EVA necessary.

Spacewalk 98 was the completion outing: the spare was mounted, electrically connected, and activated. That distinction matters because it shows how spaceflight teams work through a problem. Getting an old unit safely off the station is progress; getting its replacement operating is the completed repair.

Menon completed his third career spacewalk on this outing. For Adenot, it was her second, bringing her cumulative EVA time to 12 hours and 53 minutes, according to ESA. Their work is a reminder that big milestones usually arrive through procedure, patience, and a large team on the ground as well as the two people outside the hatch.

Why does a space-to-ground antenna matter?

The repaired antenna is infrastructure: it helps carry high-speed data between the station and the teams supporting it on Earth. It may not have the visual drama of a launch, but communications hardware is what makes an orbiting research laboratory a connected workplace.

That is also why the result has such a human scale. A spacewalk is never only the astronauts in the camera frame. It involves the crew inside the station, flight controllers, suit specialists, robotics support, engineers, and the teams who designed the procedures long before launch.

If that kind of collaborative problem-solving is your favorite part of spaceflight, share the update with a friend or join the Cosmic Match space community to find people who will happily talk through an EVA timeline. For another look at Menon’s EVA work, see our Jessica Meir and Anil Menon spacewalk guide.

A dated outcome: Aug. 25, 2026

Here is the outcome in one line: on Aug. 25, Adenot and Menon completed the antenna installation on Spacewalk 98, connected and activated the spare unit, and saw good initial power and data indications while ground testing continued.

NASA identifies this as U.S. Spacewalk 98 and the 283rd spacewalk supporting station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades. ESA’s account adds the crucial bridge from the Aug. 18 outing: the spare installation was delayed by stuck hardware, then completed on the second EVA.

For the primary record, read NASA’s report on the completed high-speed antenna installation and ESA’s second-spacewalk update for Sophie Adenot. And when the next mission gives you a reason to look up—or tune in—connect with fellow space enthusiasts in Houston or wherever you call home.

FAQ

Did Sophie Adenot and Anil Menon finish the ISS antenna repair?

Yes. On Aug. 25, 2026, they installed, connected, and activated the spare Space-to-Ground antenna during U.S. Spacewalk 98. NASA reported good initial power and data indications, with further ground testing continuing.

What was different about Spacewalk 97 and Spacewalk 98?

Spacewalk 97 on Aug. 18 removed the failed antenna but could not install the spare because of stuck bolts and connectors. Spacewalk 98 completed the installation and activation of the spare antenna.

How long was Spacewalk 98?

NASA says the Aug. 25 spacewalk lasted 6 hours and 30 minutes. It was the 283rd ISS assembly, maintenance, and upgrade spacewalk.

Can I see an ISS spacewalk from the ground?

No. The ISS can sometimes be seen as a bright moving point, but the astronauts’ work is viewed through official mission cameras rather than a telescope or binoculars from the ground.