NASA Astronauts Repair Canadarm2 During 7-Hour Spacewalk as Netflix Prepares to Stream Future ISS Missions
Flying 420 kilometers above Earth at nearly 28,000 km/h, two NASA astronauts successfully replaced a critical component on the International Space Station’s robotic arm in one of the station’s most challenging maintenance operations.
NASA astronauts Chris Williams and Jessica Meir have successfully completed a complex spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS), repairing the station’s iconic Canadarm2 robotic arm by replacing a malfunctioning wrist joint. The mission lasted 7 hours and 20 minutes, restoring one of the ISS’s most essential robotic systems.
The repair targeted Joint No. 5, a wrist mechanism that malfunctioned in late May after drawing unusually high motor current and failing to move as expected. During the spacewalk, Williams and Meir removed the faulty component and installed a spare joint that had been stored aboard the station for exactly this type of contingency.
Following the installation, mission controllers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center powered up Canadarm2 and confirmed successful restoration of its electrical power and data connections. Additional system checks and movement tests are scheduled over the coming days before the robotic arm resumes full operational duties.
Canadarm2, a 17-meter (56-foot) robotic arm built by the Canadian Space Agency, has been a cornerstone of ISS operations since its installation in 2001. The arm captures visiting cargo spacecraft, assists astronauts during spacewalks, relocates scientific payloads, and performs critical maintenance across the orbital laboratory. Its modular design allows worn components such as wrist joints to be replaced in orbit, extending its operational life well beyond its original design expectations.
The repaired wrist joint will be returned to Earth for detailed inspection and possible refurbishment, allowing engineers to better understand the cause of the failure and improve long-term reliability. NASA officials described the repair as routine maintenance for a robotic system that has supported more than two decades of continuous human operations in space.
The spacewalk marked Williams’ second career extravehicular activity and Meir’s fifth, while becoming the 280th spacewalk dedicated to assembling, maintaining, and upgrading the International Space Station since construction began. The successful mission highlights the extensive preparation astronauts undergo before performing intricate repairs in the harsh environment of space.
Adding to growing public interest in human spaceflight, Netflix recently announced that it will begin streaming selected NASA+ live programming, including rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, and mission coverage, bringing future ISS activities to a much broader global audience. The collaboration is expected to make landmark events such as spacewalks more accessible to millions of viewers worldwide.
The successful Canadarm2 repair demonstrates the resilience of the ISS engineering program and the importance of human spacewalks in maintaining one of humanity’s most sophisticated scientific laboratories. Even while orbiting Earth at approximately 28,000 kilometers per hour, astronauts continue to perform precision engineering tasks that keep the station operational and ready to support scientific research and future deep-space exploration.
