NASA plans emergency space walk on International Space Station

[webfact]

NASA plans emergency space walk on International Space Station

By Irene Klotz

REUTERS

 

FILE PHOTO - The International Space Station is seen in this view from the space shuttle Discovery after the undocking of the two spacecraft in this photo provided by NASA and taken March 7, 2011. Courtesy NASA/Handout via REUTERS

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla (Reuters) - A pair of astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station as early as Tuesday for an emergency space walk to replace a failed computer, one of two that control major U.S. systems aboard the orbiting outpost, NASA said on Sunday.

 

The primary device failed on Saturday, leaving the $100 billion orbiting laboratory to depend on a backup system to route commands to its solar power system, radiators, cooling loops and other equipment.

 

The station’s current five-member crew from the United States, Russia and France were never in any danger, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said in a statement.

 

NASA expects to make a decision later on Sunday about which astronauts aboard the station will make the two-hour space walk and when the assignment will take place.

 

Peggy Whitson, the station commander, assembled and tested a spare electronics box to replace the failed device, which had been installed during a space walk on March 30, said NASA spokesman Dan Huot.

 

NASA’s last emergency space walk took place in December 2015 when two U.S. astronauts left the station to release the brakes on a robot arm’s mobile transporter.

 

The ISS, which is staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts, serves as a research laboratory for biology, life science, materials science and physics experiments, as well as astronomical observations and Earth remote sensing.

 

The station, owned and operated by 15 nations, flies about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth and orbits the planet about every 90 minutes. It has been continuously staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since 2000.

 

(Editing by Frank McGurty and Jeffrey Benkoe)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-22

[Scott]

Oh, goodness, I hope it wasn't that WannaCry ransomware!

[lemonjelly]

4 minutes ago, Scott said:

Oh, goodness, I hope it was that WannaCry ransomware!

Why ?

[Scott]

Oops, I meant I hope it wasn't.....

Corrected now.  

 

[lemonjelly]

4 minutes ago, Scott said:

Oops, I meant I hope it wasn't.....

Corrected now.  

 

Recommend strong coffee before posting to the sound of the dawn chorus

[darksidedog]

33 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

Recommend strong coffee before posting to the sound of the dawn chorus

Yes. I used to have a Red Bull in the morning, but it seems no longer socially acceptable.

[ksamuiguy]

Serious situation for ISS.

no one realizes the "things" that have been developed by the research done at the ISS and NASA. Ideas from Star Wares and Star Trek to name a few.

Transparent Aluminum, remember Star Trek, "The Voyage Home"

Well they now make Transparent Aluminum, The ideas and gadgets have become reality, why they make people think and try. This is but one of the many "things" developed out of ideas by forward thinking people. Yes mistakes were made, but all and all we all should be proud of our researcher, explorers and thinkers. WE all need to encourage them, sadly not enough is being done to develop young minds, Dreamers if you will.

[lemonjelly]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

Yes. I used to have a Red Bull in the morning, but it seems no longer socially acceptable.

Sacrilegious..... fresh coffee, not your chemical laden effluent of an excuse for a drink.

[Jdietz]

So they had one running, one hot-spare and at least one in storage.

Now it's running on the hot-spare, and the failed main one has to be replaced.

I fail to see the emergency.

 

[Srikcir]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

the station commander, assembled and tested a spare electronics box to replace the failed device, which had been installed during a space walk on March 30

Didn't even last 2 months.

Wonder if it came with a warranty - please return to vendor for repair or replacement.

 

[IAMHERE]

Didn't even last 2 months; wonder if it was installed correctly.

 

I like the press release pointing out it is a cooperative effort between 15 nations. I wonder if all 15 pay the same amount towards the cost, bet not.

[Stargeezr]

Each space walk is good as the suits are tested once again, and the astronauts get experience from these needed space walks. Part of the future of space involves space walks. Just hope they can fix the main computer.

 

[ksamuiguy]

Over 40 years ago we went to the moon! I watched it live on our B&W TV

(all with a computer that had less computing power than your hand phone had 5 years ago)

From that we now have vast technological developments.

Loran gave way to GPS to name one. (list to long)

We now have a global communications system in place, along with new ways to destroy ourselves easier.

With out these brave men and women there would be no Mobile phones, Facebook, global TV, integrated circuits. 

 

In retrospect, looking back it was a slower, easier life! yes I would go back to the 50-60's in a heart beat and not miss what we have now.