Photos: ISS astronauts complete a six-hour spacewalk to install solar panels

Spacewalking astronauts equipped the International Space Station (ISS) with the first in a series of powerful new solar panels, overcoming suit problems and other obstacles with muscle and persistence. It took two spacewalks for French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough to install and unfurl the panel to its full 63 feet (19 meters) in length.

The solar wing unrolled like a red carpet once the final set of bolts was released, relying solely on pent-up energy. The slow but steady extension took 10 minutes, with station cameras providing live TV views.

This NASA TV frame grab image captured shows the installed solar panels with planet Earth behind, seen during the unfolding and alignment of the solar panels during the ISS Expedition 65 US Spacewalk #75 to complete the IROSA Solar Array.

US astronaut Shane Kimbrough seen from ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet's helmet camera, fixing bolts, during unfolding and alignment of the solar panel during the ISS Expedition 65 US Spacewalk #75 to complete work on the IROSA Solar Array.

Their mission includes installing six new-generation solar panels, referred to as iROSA. The new panels, which will power both daily operations and the research and science projects carried out on the ISS, are expected to have a 15-year lifespan.

“It is beautiful,” Pesquet called out. “Well done, both of you,” Mission Control replied once the operation was complete. “That was great to see.”

As the 6 1/2-hour spacewalk concluded, Kimbrough, who has three children, wished “Happy Father's Day” to all the flight controller dads. “Thanks for working with us on a Sunday."

After pushing and tugging, the spacewalkers managed to unfold and align the solar panel so both halves were now end to end, resembling a roll of paper towels. Their shout of “Woo-hoo!" was met with applause in Mission Control.

Expedition 65 Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) works to remove new roll out solar arrays from flight support equipment to begin installation work on the International Space Station's P-6 truss structure.

The two had to wait until they were back on the night side of Earth, and the station's old solar panels were no longer soaking up sunlight and generating power before making the final power connections. Otherwise, they could be shocked.