Artist’s illustration of the International Space Station with three sets of new roll-out solar arrays. The solar arrays on the SpaceX CRS-28 mission will be installed on the starboard side of the space station’s football field-long power truss, labeled here on Channels 1A and 1B of the electrical system.
As expected, the efficiency of the station’s original solar arrays has degraded over time. NASA is upgrading the space station’s power system with the new roll-out solar arrays — at a cost of $103 million — which will partially cover six of the station’s eight original solar panels.
The new solar array deployed Friday will produce electricity for the space station’s 1A power channel. Artist’s illustration of the International Space Station with three sets of new roll-out solar arrays.
A SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft hauled the two new ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays, or iROSA units, to the space station earlier this week.
Spacewalkers Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) and Akihiko Hoshide of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) set up the 4A channel on the International Space Station’s P4 (Port) truss segment for the installation of an roll-out solar array. Launched on Nov. 24, 2021. Installed on Nov. 26, 2021.
Only two more new solar arrays to be installed after successful spacewalk. The International Space Station (ISS) has a fourth new solar array thanks to the work of two NASA astronauts on a seven-hour spacewalk.