NASA Astronauts Fincke, Cardman Set for First 2026 Spacewalk on Jan 8

• NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman will conduct the first spacewalk of 2026 on January 8 from the International Space Station.
• The six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk aims to install a modification kit, route cables for a new solar array, install jumper cables, and swab external surfaces.
• Fincke, Commander of Expedition 74, will undertake his 10th spacewalk, tying a NASA record; Cardman, Flight Engineer, will perform her first.
• Preparations included reviewing procedures with Chris Williams (NASA) and Kimiya Yui (JAXA), and checking spacesuit jetpacks.
• Live coverage begins 6:30 AM IST on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and NASA's YouTube channel; another spacewalk is scheduled for January 15.

Why It Matters: NASA's Fincke and Cardman embark on the first 2026 spacewalk for ISS upgrades.