Members of the Expedition 74 crew, NASA astronauts Chris Williams and Jessica Meir on Tuesday (June 30), completed US Spacewalk 95, a seven-hour and 20-minute extravehicular activity (EVA) outside the International Space Station (ISS) to repair the Canadarm2 remote manipulator system (RMS).

The spacewalkers replaced a malfunctioning 90-kilogram wrist joint that had failed during routine operations on May 27 due to a seized motor-gearbox assembly.

Canadarm2 is ~18 meters when fully extended, about 1,800 kg (or 1,497 kg to 1,960 kg depending on specific configuration and source). It features seven motorized joints, providing a range of motion similar to a human arm but with the ability to rotate joints 270 degrees. The arm can handle payloads up to 116,000 kg and is capable of "cosmic catches," such as grappling visiting cargo spacecraft.

The repair was critical as Canadarm2, the station’s primary tool for capturing cargo vehicles like SpaceX Dragon and Cygnus, is essential for station operations through its planned decommissioning in 2030. Canadarm2, a space station workhorse, has been in regular use since it was installed on the orbiting outpost in April 2001.

Williams (EV1) and Meir (EV2), each wearing a NASA extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), floated outside the Quest airlock soon after switching the spacesuits to battery power at 1220 UTC. They made quick work of transitioning to their work station, where they retrieved a spare wrist joint by using a power tool (pistol grip unit) to unbolt it from an exterior equipment panel.

The pair were supported from inside the station, by Jack Hathaway (SpaceX Crew-12) and Sophie Adenot (ESA), who operated Canadarm2’s remaining functional joints to position the arm for the repair, guided by mission control from Jenny Gibbons (Canadian Space Agency).

Working meticulously, Williams and Meir removed the old unit and installed the new joint (no. 5), bolting it in place. The astronauts completed their work on the arm by reattaching its latching end effector, or hand, which the arm uses to grapple objects and inchworm across the exterior of the station. Mission Control confirmed that the arm had good power connections after the astronauts' work. They brought the faulty joint back into the space station to be returned to Earth for analysis and possible refurbishment.

The successful repair restored the arm’s full range of motion, clearing the path for the upcoming Soyuz MS-29 crew launch scheduled for July 14. Although designed for a 15-year lifespan, the 25-year-old arm was engineered with modular, replaceable components to allow for in-orbit maintenance. The spare joint was already stored aboard the ISS.

"For over 25 years, the Canadarm2 has been a crucial part of the International Space Station. The arm was key to our orbiting laboratory and continues to be a workhorse that we rely on. Whether it is performing maintenance or replacing equipment, moving and operating payloads, catching cargo vehicles or helping us out during spacewalks, the arm has played and will continue to play an essential role in our work on orbit," Williams said as the spacewalk ended. "It is also a testament to international cooperation. Canada, the U.S. and the world have come together to make this program a success. We are honored … that we were able to give the arm a helping hand."

Tuesday's EVA marked the fourth time in history that spacewalkers have worked to service the Canadarm2. Previously, another wrist joint was replaced and both of the arm's end effectors were swapped out for spares.

Williams and Meir returned to the Quest airlock and began its depressurization at 1940 UTC, marking an end to the spacewalk, Tuesday. "We are thrilled to have repaired the mighty Canadarm2 just in time for Canada Day tomorrow! We hope that all in Canada and everyone around the globe can celebrate this achievement," Meir said.

Today's EVA was the 280th spacewalk in ISS history and marked Williams’ second and Meir’s fifth career spacewalk. Williams has now logged 14 hours and 22 minutes, including a previous EVA with Meir. Meir has totaled 36 hours and 6 minutes, including the first all-female EVA in 2019.

SpaceX launched 7,000 kg SXM-11 satellite for SiriusXM aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 0225 UTC on June 29, 2026. The rocket's first stage booster, B1085, completed its 17th flight and successfully landed on the drone ship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff.

The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued carrying SXM-11 to an elliptical geosynchronous transfer orbit, where it was deployed on schedule, 34.5 minutes after liftoff. SXM-11 circularized its distant path around our planet and will join SiriusXM's satellite-radio fleet, which currently consists of seven spacecraft.

Standing 70.1 meters tall with solar panels spanning 32.3 meters, the SXM-11 spacecraft is built by Lanteris Space Systems (formerly Maxar, acquired by Intuitive Machines in January 2026), is the most powerful satellite in the SiriusXM fleet, designed to replace the aging XM-5 and Sirius FM-5 satellites launched in 2009 and 2010. The satellite is based on the IM-1300 platform, with approximately 60% of its mass dedicated to onboard fuel.

SXM-11 will enhance signal reception, expand coverage in Alaska, and support audio services across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.

This mission marks the fourth SiriusXM satellite launched by SpaceX, joining previous missions SXM-8, SXM-9, and SXM-10.

Falcon 9's B1085 previously flew missions including Crew-9, RRT-1, Blue Ghost Mission 1, Fram2, SXM-10, MTG-S1, EchoStar XXV, and nine Starlink missions.

The United States and Iran have reportedly agreed to a temporary cessation of hostilities following an intense 72-hour cycle of tit-for-tat military strikes. Negotiators from both nations are scheduled to meet Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Doha, Qatar, in an urgent bid to save a fragile interim peace agreement.

The emergency talks represent a shift in focus toward the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical maritime energy choke point, which has become the primary flashpoint pushing both sides back to the brink of war.

The recent flare-up stems from a breakdown in an interim ceasefire originally signed on June 17, 2026. The truce unraveled when a multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy announced it would expand a shipping route near Oman to bypass direct Iranian oversight. Iran fiercely opposed this, maintaining that it retains absolute governance over transit through the Persian Gulf.

An Iranian projectile struck a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, drawing U.S. strikes on Iranian targets, followed by an attack on the Panamanian-flagged tanker Kiku which was carrying crude oil for Qatar's state-run energy company,--and another round of heavy US strikes on Sirik, Bandar-e Lengeh, and Qeshm Island, and then retaliatory Iranian strikes on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.

President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes on social media, warning that if Iran violated the ceasefire again, "the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!" The strikes targeted coastal radar sites, air defenses, communication towers, and minelaying infrastructure.

With the regional conflict threatening to spiral out of control, Iran threatened to halt all diplomatic channels completely. However, mediated diplomacy managed to pull both sides back. According to reports, U.S. and Iranian officials agreed to halt kinetic military operations late Sunday, paving the way for the emergency summit in Doha.

The current escalation is occurring within the framework of an ongoing conflict that began earlier this year on February 28, 2026. A 14-point interim peace memorandum (frequently referred to as the Islamabad memorandum) was drafted to halt full-scale war, but it left critical ambiguities that both sides interpret differently.

The upcoming talks in Qatar will have to navigate three main systemic rifts:

• Control of the Strait: Iran claims absolute authority over traffic navigating the Persian Gulf. The U.S. and its Gulf allies view it as an international waterway. A proposed "hotline" between the U.S. military and the IRGC to coordinate maritime traffic—agreed upon last week in Switzerland by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian representatives—failed to become operational before the fighting resumed.

• Sanctions vs. Blockades: Under the June 17 agreement, Iran agreed to ensure safe passage for commercial ships in exchange for the U.S. lifting blockades on Iranian ports and waiving specific sanctions. Iranian officials claim the U.S. failed to grant them access to previously frozen financial funds, invalidating the terms.

• The Regional Fronts: The broader framework requires a ceasefire across all regional fronts. Ongoing friction between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon continues to strain the wider U.S.-Iran peace process, as flare-ups there directly bleed into the Gulf maritime theater.

US and Israeli strikes (Operation Epic Fury / Roaring Lion) which started on Feb. 28, 2026, targeted Iranian military, nuclear-related, and government sites amid stalled nuclear talks. These included high-profile assassinations, notably Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran retaliated with missiles, drones, and proxy actions against Israel, US bases, and Gulf states (e.g., Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia). Iran also blocked or disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, causing major global oil disruptions.

A short ceasefire was brokered in April (via Pakistan). Tensions persisted with a US naval blockade, Iranian closure and disruption of Hormuz, and Israel-Hezbollah fighting. In mid-June, the Islamabad Memorandum (MOU) was signed to end major fighting, lift the US blockade, reopen shipping (with Iran committing to safe passage), and allow talks on deeper issues like Iran's nuclear program, sanctions, and uranium stockpile.