First Spacewalk of 2026 Set for January 8
NASA has confirmed that the first spacewalk of 2026 will take place on Thursday, January 8, outside the International Space Station (ISS). The spacewalk is part of ongoing maintenance and upgrade work on the orbiting laboratory and will be streamed live to the public.
Crew and Mission Tasks
Two NASA astronauts, Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, will exit the ISS through the Quest airlock for the spacewalk. The activity is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and is expected to last about six and a half hours. During the spacewalk, the astronauts will work on preparing the station’s 2A power channel for the future installation of new roll-out solar arrays. These solar arrays are designed to increase the electrical power available to support scientific research and station systems. Cardman is set to make her first spacewalk, while Fincke will be undertaking his tenth spacewalk, tying him with other experienced ISS spacewalkers.
How to Watch Live
NASA has made arrangements for live coverage of the January 8 spacewalk. Viewers can watch directly on NASA’s streaming platforms, including NASA+, the agency’s official YouTube channel, and Amazon Prime Video. Live broadcasts typically begin about an hour before the start time and include commentary from spaceflight experts explaining the tasks and progress during the spacewalk.
Context and Importance
This spacewalk will be among the first of the year and is part of NASA’s Expedition 74 mission aboard the ISS. It continues regular efforts to maintain and improve the space station’s infrastructure. A second spacewalk is already planned for January 15, with details on crew and tasks to be announced closer to that date.
