Spacewalk report
This space.com report by Tariq Malik gives a good overview of today’s successful spacewalk on ISS.
This space.com report by Tariq Malik gives a good overview of today’s successful spacewalk on ISS.
Tag: ISS
Spacewalk report
Spacewalk update
The spacewalk on ISS is not quite finished, but the astronauts are wrapping up after successfully installing the replacement pump to the cooling system. Ground controllers have tested the system and it appears to be working.
The spacewalk on ISS is not quite finished, but the astronauts are wrapping up after successfully installing the replacement pump to the cooling system. Ground controllers have tested the system and it appears to be working.
More on Boeing’s cargo/crew capsule
Boeing is hoping to do the first test flight of its privately developed cargo/crew capsule by late in 2013.
Boeing is hoping to do the first test flight of its privately developed cargo/crew capsule by late in 2013.
The plans for the next spacewalks on ISS are announced
NASA managers have delayed by one day the next spacewalk to repair ISS’s cooling system. Now set for August 16, this spacewalk will install the new pump. The date of a fourth spacewalk to finish up the work is as yet unscheduled.
NASA managers have delayed by one day the next spacewalk to repair ISS’s cooling system. Now set for August 16, this spacewalk will install the new pump. The date of a fourth spacewalk to finish up the work is as yet unscheduled.
Japanese planning upgrades to HTV
The Japanese are considering upgrades to their unmanned HTV freighter that carries cargo to ISS. The upgrades would allow HTV to return large cargo to Earth, as well as possibly become a manned vehicle.
The Japanese are considering upgrades to their unmanned HTV freighter that carries cargo to ISS. The upgrades would allow HTV to return large cargo to Earth, as well as possibly become a manned vehicle.
Tour of ISS, part 4
An evening pause: Mike Finke’s tour of ISS continues in the Progress freighter, moves through the Zarya functional cargo module into the Zvezda service module at the aft end of the station, showing us a Russian crew cabin and the station’s main bathroom facilities.
ISS tour continues, part 3
An evening pause: Astronaut Mike Finke’s tour of ISS continues, taking us through the Unity module and into the Russian part of the station, showing us the inside of a Soyuz lifeboat, the Zarya functional cargo module, the Piers docking module/airlock, and ending looking into the hatch of a Progress freighter.
Fourth spacewalk anticipated for coolant repairs
With the success of yesterday’s spacewalk, NASA engineers have revamped their remaining spacewalk plans for replacing that failed pump. The third spacewalk has been moved from Sunday to Monday to give everyone more time to prepare, and they are now planning a fourth spacewalk after that to finish things up.
With the success of yesterday’s spacewalk, NASA engineers have revamped their remaining spacewalk plans for replacing that failed pump. The third spacewalk has been moved from Sunday to Monday to give everyone more time to prepare, and they are now planning a fourth spacewalk after that to finish things up.
Spacewalk a complete success, old pump removed
Today’s spacewalk on ISS was a complete success. The astronauts successfully removed the failed coolant pump and made preparations to install the replacement pump on their next spacewalk.
Today’s spacewalk on ISS was a complete success. The astronauts successfully removed the failed coolant pump and made preparations to install the replacement pump on their next spacewalk.
More details about tomorrow’s planned spacewalk
Here’s another detailed look at tomorrow’s planned spacewalk, and what NASA engineers are doing on the ground and what the astronauts will do in space to eliminate the ammonia leak.
Here’s another detailed look at tomorrow’s planned spacewalk, and what NASA engineers are doing on the ground and what the astronauts will do in space to eliminate the ammonia leak.
ISS tour, part 2
An evening pause: Mike Finke’s tour of ISS continues, showing us the Columbus module, a crew cabin, the Destiny module, and into the Harmony module.
Repair strategy for Wednesday spacewalk
NASA engineers are working out a strategy for the next spacewalk, now tentatively scheduled of Wednesday, to continue repair efforts on the International Space Station. The new plans call for the astronauts to close several valves on the leaking coolant line while ground controllers lower pressure on the line, then drain the excess ammonia from it. This will hopefully allow the astronauts to disconnect the line from the pump without spewing ammonia all over the place, and then proceed with the removal of the failed pump.
NASA engineers are working out a strategy for the next spacewalk, now tentatively scheduled of Wednesday, to continue repair efforts on the International Space Station. The new plans call for the astronauts to close several valves on the leaking coolant line while ground controllers lower pressure on the line, then drain the excess ammonia from it. This will hopefully allow the astronauts to disconnect the line from the pump without spewing ammonia all over the place, and then proceed with the removal of the failed pump.
Spacewalk repair delaying robot repair
The efforts to fix the cooling system on ISS has not only limited use of the humans inside the station. It has delayed the maintenance work of the Canadian-built robot Dextre on the outside of the station.
The efforts to fix the cooling system on ISS has not only limited use of the humans inside the station. It has delayed the maintenance work of the Canadian-built robot Dextre on the outside of the station.
Details on the spacewalk yesterday
William Harwood of CBS News and Spaceflight Now provides a very detailed and clearly written description of the problems experienced during Saturday’s spacewalk, as well as the options faced by NASA to overcome them.
William Harwood of CBS News and Spaceflight Now provides a very detailed and clearly written description of the problems experienced during Saturday’s spacewalk, as well as the options faced by NASA to overcome them.
ISS tour, part 1
An evening pause: We talk a lot about the International Space Station. Why not take a tour? In this January 2009 video, part 1 of 4, astronaut Mike Finke starts us out at the docking port used by the shuttle and takes us through the Harmony and Kibo modules. Along the way he gives a great view out the port side of the station.
You can see the remaining parts of Mike’s tour by clicking through, or you can wait until I post them over the next week.
3rd spacewalk planned to finish repairs
NASA said late yesterday that a third spacewalk will be needed to finish the replacement of the failed pump module in the station’s cooling system.
NASA said late yesterday that a third spacewalk will be needed to finish the replacement of the failed pump module in the station’s cooling system.
First spacewalk to replace pump module
The first spacewalk to replace the failed pump module on ISS is finished, and it did not go as well as hoped. The astronauts had problems removing one of four cooling system ammonia lines to the old pump. They eventually succeeded, actually using a hammer to lightly tap the quick-disconnect latch free. They then had to seal an ammonia leak coming from the problematic line. These issues caused them to run out of time, preventing them from removing the old pump and installing the new one. It is expected they will pick up where they left off on the next spacewalk, presently scheduled for Wednesday.
The first spacewalk to replace the failed pump module on ISS is finished, and it did not go as well as hoped. The astronauts had problems removing one of four cooling system ammonia lines to the old pump. They eventually succeeded, actually using a hammer to lightly tap the quick-disconnect latch free. They then had to seal an ammonia leak coming from the problematic line. These issues caused them to run out of time, preventing them from removing the old pump and installing the new one. It is expected they will pick up where they left off on the next spacewalk, presently scheduled for Wednesday.
First spacewalk to replace pump module delayed
NASA managers have delayed the first spacewalk to replace the pump module from Friday until Saturday, 7 am (EST), with the second spacewalk now delayed from Monday to Wednesday. This is to give them more time to fine tune their plans.
NASA managers have delayed the first spacewalk to replace the pump module from Friday until Saturday, 7 am (EST), with the second spacewalk now delayed from Monday to Wednesday. This is to give them more time to fine tune their plans.
Delays in Orbital Sciences COTS rocket
The state-owned Ukrainian company, building the first stage of the rocket Orbital Sciences intends to use for ferrying cargo to and from ISS, announced today that there will be two to three month delay in delivery. No explanation for the delay was offered.
The state-owned Ukrainian company, building the first stage of the rocket Orbital Sciences intends to use for ferrying cargo to and from ISS, announced today that there will be two to three month delay in delivery. No explanation for the delay was offered.
Repair spacewalk scheduled
The first spacewalk to replace the pump module on ISS and thus fix on of the station’s two cooling system is now scheduled for Friday at 6:55 (EDT).
The first spacewalk to replace the pump module on ISS and thus fix on of the station’s two cooling system is now scheduled for Friday at 6:55 (EDT).
The failure of the past and a hint of the future
The coolant system failure on the International Space Station this weekend and the upcoming spacewalks being planned to fix it is a dramatic and fascinating story, capturing the interest of the general public while causing some news pundits to express fear and dread about science fiction scenerios of disasters in space.
The situation is hardly that death-defying. The station’s cooling systems have a lot of redundancy, all of which are being used to good effect. Moreover, the spacewalk repair to install a replacement pump module, though challenging, is exactly the kind of thing the astronauts have been trained to do. I expect them to do it with few problems. I would be far more surprised if they have serious difficulties and fail to get it done.
What this failure foreshadows, however, is the future on ISS. As the years pass and systems age, » Read more
ISS cooling system failure
More on that failure of the cooling system on ISS. It appears that NASA is gearing up to send two astronauts out for up to two spacewalks to try to fix the problem.
More on that failure of the cooling system on ISS. It appears that NASA is gearing up to send two astronauts out for up to two spacewalks to try to fix the problem.
Cooling system failure on ISS
A failure in the cooling system on the International Space Station yesterday has forced the astronauts to shut down some of their systems while ground control troubleshoots the situation.
A failure in the cooling system on the International Space Station yesterday has forced the astronauts to shut down some of their systems while ground control troubleshoots the situation.
Russian astronauts lose tools during spacewalk
During a spacewalk at ISS yesterday, two Russian cosmonauts successfully replaced a broken camera and installed new wiring for the recently added Russian Dawn module. They also lost a washer and an “attachment fixture” used to fasten the wiring in place, both of which were spotted floating away.
During a spacewalk at ISS yesterday, two Russian cosmonauts successfully replaced a broken camera and installed new wiring for the recently added Russian Dawn module. They also lost a washer and an “attachment fixture” used to fasten the wiring in place, both of which were spotted floating away.
NASA’s ISS Twitter feed hacked
Spam is everywhere! Today NASA’s Twitter feed from ISS was hacked with unintended ads.
Spam is everywhere! Today NASA’s Twitter feed from ISS was hacked with unintended ads.
ISS and Chinese satellite debris
Russian mission control has indicated that the debris left over from destruction of a Chinese satellite in 2007 poses a “danger” to the International Space Station. Key quote from a Russian official:
“If the calculations show that the debris is approaching the station at an unacceptably close range, the six astronauts will receive the order to take shelter in the two Russian Soyuz spacecraft which are docked with the ISS.”
Russian mission control has indicated that the debris left over from destruction of a Chinese satellite in 2007 poses a “danger” to the International Space Station. Key quote from a Russian official:
“If the calculations show that the debris is approaching the station at an unacceptably close range, the six astronauts will receive the order to take shelter in the two Russian Soyuz spacecraft which are docked with the ISS.”
Problems on ISS
Equipment problems on the U.S. portion of ISS, and it takes the Russians to tell us.
Equipment problems on the U.S. portion of ISS, and it takes the Russians to tell us.
Orbital’s COTS capsule taking shape
The Cygnus capsule is taking shape. Orbital Sciences signed a COTS contract with NASA in 2008 (as did SpaceX with its Falcon 9 rocket) to provide cargo ferrying services to ISS, and they are making real progress toward their first demonstration flight in the spring of 2011. That they have subcontracted most of the work to foreign companies, however, limits how much their work can help the American aerospace industry.
The Cygnus capsule is taking shape. Orbital Sciences signed a COTS contract with NASA in 2008 (as did SpaceX with its Falcon 9 rocket) to provide cargo ferrying services to ISS, and they are making real progress toward their first demonstration flight in the spring of 2011. That they have subcontracted most of the work to foreign companies, however, limits how much their work can help the American aerospace industry.
Redundancy is all
I just thought I’d note the interesting juxtaposition illustrated by my previous two posts: In one case there is a battle between Congress and the President over the future of the American manned space program, prompted by the impending shutdown of the shuttle program with no immediate replacement in sight. In the other case, the only remaining program with the capability to provide manned access to the International Space Station has a serious docking failure.
With manned spaceflight, redundancy is all important. This juxtaposition illustrates very clearly the precarious position we will be in once the shuttle is retired.
I just thought I’d note the interesting juxtaposition illustrated by my previous two posts: In one case there is a battle between Congress and the President over the future of the American manned space program, prompted by the impending shutdown of the shuttle program with no immediate replacement in sight. In the other case, the only remaining program with the capability to provide manned access to the International Space Station has a serious docking failure.
With manned spaceflight, redundancy is all important. This juxtaposition illustrates very clearly the precarious position we will be in once the shuttle is retired.