ISS Completes Five-Year Solar Power Upgrade With Final Array
Written by AI from orbitalradar.com's report. Not checked by a person.
Astronauts installed the eighth and last upgraded roll-out solar array on the International Space Station, completing a five-year effort to augment its ageing power system alongside the original solar wings.
On 6 November 2026, the International Space Station's power upgrade reached its conclusion when astronauts finished installing the eighth and final iROSA — ISS Roll-Out Solar Array. The project, which ran over five years, augments rather than replaces the station's original solar wings, adding generating capacity to the existing power infrastructure. The completion was reported in the Orbital Briefing for 6 November 2026, which noted that orbital trackers were simultaneously monitoring 16,662 active satellites and 23 close-approach events. Among those encounters, SUPERVIEW NEO-2 03 and SUPERVIEW NEO-2 04 had a reported minimum separation of approximately 1.38 km. Blue Origin also announced a new kick stage for its New Glenn rocket on the same day; a kick stage provides additional propulsion after the main launch sequence to deliver payloads towards their intended orbits, broadening what the vehicle can accomplish beyond simply reaching orbit. The finished array marks a significant milestone in sustaining the station's electricity supply and supporting the science experiments and life-support systems aboard the crewed outpost.
