The International Space Station has received the final pair of roll-out solar arrays intended for its power-system upgrade. SpaceX’s CRS-35 Dragon docked at Harmony’s space-facing port at 10:27 a.m. EDT on October 15, bringing more than 6,300 pounds of supplies, equipment and research cargo. NASA confirmed the arrival.
By October 19, Anil Menon of NASA and Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk were preparing their spacesuits for the installation work. NASA’s latest station update describes cooling-loop cleaning, water servicing and a planning conference with mission controllers.
Delivery is only the first step
The arrays traveled in Dragon’s unpressurized trunk. NASA says ground controllers will use Canadarm2 to remove them and place them temporarily on the station’s external logistics platforms before the astronauts complete installation. The October 16 operations report also describes the crew moving newly arrived scientific samples into station freezers and research facilities.
Spacewalks are planned for October 29 and November 5. The seventh array is assigned to power channel 2A and the eighth to 3B. NASA’s spacewalk advisory gives an expected total generating capacity of approximately 215 kilowatts after the upgrade, compared with 160 kilowatts previously.
Why rolled-up panels help
According to NASA’s technology overview, the compact arrays build on a station demonstration in 2017. They travel in a cylindrical package and unroll after installation. Six were installed between 2021 and 2023; the new pair completes the planned set of eight.
The distinction between arrival and operation matters. Hardware secured in a cargo vehicle cannot yet contribute to the station’s electrical supply. Extraction, attachment, deployment and electrical activation all remain consequential steps, each with its own procedures and checks.
The next public milestone is NASA’s October 20 briefing, followed by the two scheduled excursions. Until those operations are confirmed, the higher power capacity should be described as the expected result of the completed upgrade, rather than something already available aboard the station.
Reporting checked October 20, 2026 (UTC). Catch-up coverage of the October 15–19 arrival and preparations.
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