NASA has announced three spacewalks in August for astronauts aboard the International Space Station, because even the most advanced orbiting laboratory occasionally needs a handyman. The outings will focus on upgrading solar arrays, replacing a communications antenna, and connecting power and data cables - essentially a cosmic home improvement project.

A preview news conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 30, from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. U.S.-based media hoping to attend in person must contact the Johnson newsroom by 3 p.m. on July 29, or request dial-in details by the same deadline. Because nothing says space journalism like a tight RSVP deadline.

Spacewalk 96, kicking off at 8:35 a.m. on August 6, will see NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon exit the Quest airlock to install hardware modifying the station’s 3B power channel. This prepares the way for the seventh International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA), which will provide additional power - including for the station's eventual, carefully planned deorbit. Meir, sporting a suit with red stripes as crew member 1, will be on her sixth spacewalk; Menon, in an unmarked suit as crew member 2, will be on his first. Live coverage begins at 7 a.m.

Spacewalk 97 will involve two astronauts replacing a Space-to-Ground antenna, a critical system for transmitting data and high-speed communication between Houston’s Mission Control and the station. Because even space stations need good Wi-Fi.

Spacewalk 98 will have crew members connecting power channel cables and data relay systems as part of ongoing maintenance, including deorbit preparations. They'll also replace a navigational aid on the Harmony module’s forward port, presumably to help incoming spacecraft find the right parking spot.

These three excursions will be the 281st, 282nd, and 283rd spacewalks supporting station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades - a testament to the fact that even in space, there's always something that needs fixing.