NASA astronauts Chris Williams and Jessica Meir completed a 7-hour, 20-minute spacewalk, repairing the Canadarm2 robotic arm aboard the International Space Station (ISS) by replacing a faulty wrist joint.
The spacewalk concluded at 3:40 p.m. EDT, with the astronauts completing their objective of removing and installing a new wrist joint on the Canadian-built robotic arm, a critical system to support station maintenance, cargo operations, and scientific missions.
Following the repair, NASA’s Mission Control in Houston powered up Canadarm2 for initial checks of the system’s power and data connectivity. Ground controllers will continue testing the robotic arm over the coming week as they gradually restore full operations.
The repair was required with urgency after the wrist joint malfunctioned during routine operations on May 27, when the arm experienced elevated motor current and failed to move. NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) decided to replace the component as part of the robotic system’s planned maintenance programme.
According to NASA, repairs to Canadarm2 are expected even after more than 25 years of continuous operation, due to its design with replaceable components to support long-term use aboard the space station.
The faulty wrist joint will be returned to Earth for inspection and refurbishment before being considered for future use on the robotic arm.
The mission marked Chris Williams’ second career spacewalk and Jessica Meir’s fifth, while also becoming the 280th spacewalk conducted in support of the International Space Station’s assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.
