Crew members aboard the International Space Station are ramping up preparations for an upcoming spacewalk scheduled for August 18, according to The Indian Express. Alongside the physical readiness drills, the crew has been testing artificial intelligence and virtual reality tools as part of their routine.
The Indian Express reports that the station's crew devoted Thursday to additional spacewalk preparation and advanced technology research. NASA's own daily update confirmed the day was packed with these activities, noting the crew's focus on both the upcoming external work and experiments involving emerging tech tools.
The spacewalk itself will involve Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon, who is set to spend about six and a half hours working outside the station, according to reports from Swarajya and India Today. The primary task for the excursion is repairing an antenna on the exterior of the ISS. This will mark Menon's second spacewalk, as noted by English Gujarat Samachar.
The integration of AI and virtual reality into crew training and operations reflects a broader push within NASA to modernize how astronauts prepare for complex tasks. While the specific applications of these tools were not detailed in the available reporting, their inclusion in the crew's schedule underscores the agency's interest in leveraging new technology for mission support.
The spacewalk on August 18 will be a key test of both the crew's readiness and the effectiveness of the tech-assisted preparation methods now being used aboard the station. Observers will be watching to see whether the antenna repair proceeds smoothly and how these digital tools factor into the execution of the mission.
