Nearly two months have elapsed since any astronaut aboard the International Space Station has suited up to head outside the outpost.
Now, though, the first of two planned upcoming spacewalks is coming up. Set for the end of October and then the beginning of November, the pair of spacewalks would mark the first time that astronauts have ventured
into the vacuum of space since two ISS crew members did so in early September.The next one would also mark the landmark 100th in the iconic space station's history featuring at least one American.
Interested in watching the upcoming spacewalk, expected to last for several hours Thursday, Oct. 29? NASA and its commercial partners like Amazon will provide plenty of ways to ensure you can keep up with the cosmic
action as it unfolds in real time.
Watch NASA+ content with Amazon Prime Video
Here's everything to know about the upcoming spacewalk, and how you can watch it live.
What is the International Space Station?
The International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit for more than 25 years, typically about 260 miles high, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world. Throughout its lifespan, the station has served as a test bed for scientific research in microgravity and has in years past opened itself up to private commercial missions.
The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
More than 290 spacefarers from 26 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 174 from the United States alone, according to NASA. While aboard the ISS, astronauts from all over the world not only help keep the aging station operational, but prepare for humans to venture deeper into space.
What is a spacewalk? How often do astronauts exit ISS?
A spacewalk, often called extra-vehicular activity in space industry parlance, refers to any activity an astronaut undertakes outside of a space station or spacecraft. Spacewalks require suiting up in specialized suits and exposing oneself to the vacuum of outer space.
When is the next spacewalk?
The next spacewalk is set for Thursday, Oct. 29, with two astronauts due to exit the International Space Station about 8 a.m. ET, according to NASA. The operation is expected to last less than seven hours.
The spacewalk will be the latest in nearly two months following a slew of four that took place between August and early September.
How to watch NASA coverage of spacewalk on YouTube, Prime, more
NASA's live coverage of the spacewalk will begin at 6:30 a.m. ET Oct. 29 and will be available to stream on the agency's free NASA+ app, as well as Amazon Prime, discovery+, social media site Xand YouTube. Netflix, which provided coverage of a previous spacewalk in July, will not host a livestream this time on its platform.
Livestream: Watch NASA spacewalk live
Spacewalk is 7th with Americans of 2026. What astronauts are going?
The upcoming spacewalk will be the eighth of 2026 and the seventh this year featuring at least one U.S. astronaut. The most recent spacewalk occurred Sept. 1, when NASA's Jessica Meir and Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency – both of whom have since returned to Earth – exited the space station.
NASA astronaut Anil Menon, who conducted three consecutive spacewalks in August, will be making his fourth overall journey into the vacuum of space during his first trip to the ISS. Menon will be joined by Joshua Kutryk of the Canadian Space Agency, making his first spacewalk.
Known as U.S. spacewalk 100, the venture will be the 100th of its kind with NASA astronauts and the 285th in the International Space Station's history.
What will the astronauts be doing during the spacewalk?
The purpose of the spacewalk is for the astronauts to install and deploy a solar array that will provide additional power to the station, and which will eventually assist in helping to deorbit the ISS when it's retired in a few years.
What astronauts are on the International Space Station?
Seven astronauts are living and working at the International Space Station.
The most recent arrivals at the beginning of October included NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, as well as Joshua Kutryk of the Canadian Space Agency and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The astronauts are members of a mission known as Crew-13, which launched for the space station in a SpaceX Dragon capsule perched atop a Falcon 9 rocket, which lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
NASA astronaut Anil Menon arrived in mid-July at the space station with Russians Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina on a Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft for an eight-month mission.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2 astronauts prep for landmark spacewalk at ISS. Here's what to expect
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
