Daily Archives: December 22, 2013

Olympic torch reaches space station
Olympic torch reaches space station Olympic torch arrives at International Space Station A Soyuz rocket carrying the Sochi 2014 Olympic torch arrives at the ...

By: World Wide News

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Olympic torch reaches space station - Video

Soyuz rocket launch to Space Station
Soyuz rocket launch to Space Station Soyuz rocket launches crew to International Space Station Three new crew members for the International Space Station (IS...

By: World Wide News

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Soyuz rocket launch to Space Station - Video

Robot Astronaut Kirobo Has Historic Talk on International Space Station
Robot Astronaut Kirobo and astronaut Koichi Wakata made history when they had a conversation on the International Space Station on Dec. 6, 2013. The conversa...

By: ToyotaEurope

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Robot Astronaut Kirobo Has Historic Talk on International Space Station - Video

World #39;s First Robot Astronaut #39; #39;Kirobo #39; #39; Makes Space Station Small Talk
World #39;s First Robot Astronaut #39; #39;Kirobo #39; #39; Makes Space Station Small Talk World #39;s First Robot Astronaut #39; #39;Kirobo #39; #39; Makes Space Station Small Talk World #39;s First...

By: Nicklas Dayan

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World's First Robot Astronaut ''Kirobo'' Makes Space Station Small Talk - Video

Robot Astronaut Kirobo Takes Part in Conversation Experiment Aboard International Space Station
Robot Astronaut Kirobo Takes Part in Conversation Experiment Aboard International Space Station Robot Astronaut Kirobo Takes Part in Conversation Experiment ...

By: Marko Nikovalov

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Robot Astronaut Kirobo Takes Part in Conversation Experiment Aboard International Space Station - Video

Spacewalk to repair International Space Station underway
Astronauts have begun the first of three planned spacewalks to repair a vital cooling system that failed on the International Space Station. Bill Harwood rep...

By: CBS This Morning

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Spacewalk to repair International Space Station underway - Video

NASA Astronauts Start ISS Repair Spacewalk
Nasa astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins have begun the first of three spacewalks to replace a broken cooling pump at the International Space Statio...

By: Jay Report

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NASA Astronauts Start ISS Repair Spacewalk - Video

BBC News Nasa astronauts carry out spacewalk to repair pump
BBC News Nasa astronauts carry out spacewalk to repair pump Astronauts at the International Space Station have completed the first of a series of spacewalks ...

By: cihan ylmaz

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BBC News Nasa astronauts carry out spacewalk to repair pump - Video

The spacewalk, which was broadcast live on NASA Television, was the first for NASA since July when the spacesuit helmet worn by Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano began filling with water, a situation that could have caused him to drown.

The operation was prompted by the December 11 shutdown of one of the station's two U.S. ammonia cooling systems, which forced the crew to turn off non-essential equipment and shut down dozens of science experiments.

While the six-member crew is not in danger, the remaining cooling system cannot support the three laboratories and other modules on the U.S. side of the $100 billion station, a project of 15 nations. The Russian side of the station has a separate cooling system.

Engineers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston tried devising ways to bypass a suspected faulty pump valve, but with time running short, managers decided to have astronauts replace the pump, located outside the station, with a spare.

The work, which began shortly after 7 a.m. EST, went smoothly, with station flight engineers Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins finishing up an hour earlier than expected.

They were able to not only disconnect the old pump, but also remove it from its pallet on the station's exterior truss, a task slated for a second spacewalk originally planned for Monday and later delayed until Tuesday, NASA said late on Saturday.

A third spacewalk, if needed, presumably also would slip one day, from Wednesday to Thursday.

NASA said an extra day was needed to prepare a backup spacesuit for Mastracchio to use.

"During repressurization of the station's airlock following the spacewalk, a spacesuit configuration issue put the suit Mastracchio was wearing in question for the next excursion," NASA said in a statement.

The issue is not related to the water leak that was seen during the July spacewalk, NASA said.

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Snorkel-clad astronauts exit space station to begin crucial fix

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Astronauts removed an old space station pump Saturday, sailing through the first of a series of urgent repair spacewalks to revive a crippled cooling line.

The two Americans on the crew, Rick Mastracchio and Michael Hopkins, successfully pulled out the ammonia pump with a bad valve ---- well ahead of schedule. That task had been planned for the next spacewalk, originally scheduled for Monday but now delayed until Tuesday, Christmas Eve, because of the need for a suit swap.

"An early Christmas," observed Mission Control as Mastracchio tugged the refrigerator-size pump away from its nesting spot.

If Mastracchio and Hopkins keep up the quick work, two spacewalks may be enough to complete the installation of a spare pump and a third spacewalk will not be needed as originally anticipated.

Several hours after Saturday's spacewalk ended, Mission Control bumped spacewalk 2 to Tuesday to give Mastracchio enough time to prepare a spare suit. His original suit was compromised when he inadvertently turned on a water switch in the air lock at the end of Saturday's excursion. NASA officials said Saturday night that it's unclear whether a third spacewalk will be needed and when it might occur, if required. A third spacewalk had been slated for Christmas Day before the latest turn of events. NASA requires a day off between spacewalks for astronaut rest.

The space station breakdown 10 days earlier left one of two identical cooling loops too cold and forced the astronauts to turn off all nonessential equipment inside the orbiting lab, bringing scientific research to a near-halt and leaving the station in a vulnerable state.

Mission Control wanted to keep the spacewalkers out even longer Saturday to get even further ahead, but a cold and uncomfortable Mastracchio requested to go back. The spacewalk ended after 5 1/2 hours, an hour short on time but satisfyingly long on content.

Earlier, Mastracchio managed to unhook all the ammonia fluid and electrical lines on the pump with relative ease, occasionally releasing a flurry of frozen ammonia flakes that brushed against his suit. A small O-ring floated away, but he managed to retrieve it.

"I got it, I got it, I got it. Barely," Mastracchio said as he stretched out his hand.

"Don't let that go, that's a stocking stuffer," Mission Control replied.

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Space suit issues lead to delay of second spacewalk