Monthly Archives: April 2014

Space Station Crew Discusses Life in Space with the Japanese Prime Minister
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, NASA Flight Engineer Steve Swanson a...

By: NASA

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Space Station Crew Discusses Life in Space with the Japanese Prime Minister - Video

Science NASA This image provided by NASA shows the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft just prior to being released by the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm on May 31, 2012. NASA/AP

A failure in a backup electronics box for the International Space Stations robotic arm may force NASA to again postpone SpaceXs launch of a Dragon cargo ship to the station.

NASA mission managers said Saturday that the crew on board the ISS is in no danger, but a problem in a backup computer component could force a postponement, NBC reports.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule, which is slated to carry 4,600 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station, is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla. late Monday afternoon. However, the proper functioning of the robotic arm system is required to attach the Dragon to the International Space Station. While the primary system is working as expected, a backup box stopped responding to commands Friday.

A decision on whether to proceed with the launch will be made Sunday as NASA and SpaceX officials weigh whether its too dangerous to proceed with a faulty backup system.

[NBC]

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Space Station Glitch Could Delay SpaceX Launch

NASA is weighing whether the failure of a backup electronics box for the International Space Station's robotic arm system will force another postponement in SpaceX's launch of a Dragon cargo ship.

If the box can't be revived, it would have to be replaced during a spacewalk.

In a status report issued on Saturday, mission managers emphasized that the crew was in no danger. But they're evaluating whether the problem with the computer component, known as a multiplexer-demultiplexer, would pose too much of a risk for the Dragon's hookup to the station which relies on the proper operation of the station's robotic arm.

A SpaceX Dragon capsule is attached to the International Space Station's robotic arm during a cargo run in 2012. The robotic arm is required to bring the Dragon in for its berthing.

The Dragon capsule is currently scheduled for launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 4:58 p.m. ET Monday, with the station berthing set for Wednesday. The Dragon is packed with about 4,600 pounds (2,100 kilograms) of supplies and equipment, including scientific experiments and the legs for the station's Robonaut 2 android.

The SpaceX launch has already been delayed once, due to a temporary problem with the Air Force's radar tracking system.

The problem with the backup multiplexer-demultiplexer, one of more than a dozen such boxes mounted on the station's exterior, cropped up on Friday when it stopped responding to commands. The primary system, which transmits commands to the robotic arm system's rail car, is working fine, NASA said. The big question is whether it's too risky to proceed with the Falcon 9 launch without the backup system. Astronauts on the station have to use the robotic arm to pull the Dragon in to its berthing port.

NASA said there were other contingency plans that didn't depend on the failed electronics box. A decision on whether to go ahead with the launch would be made on Sunday, after a series of technical reviews. Meanwhile, plans are also being laid for a spacewalk to replace the backup box, which is considered one of the station's routine maintenance tasks.

First published April 12 2014, 10:51 AM

Alan Boyle is the science editor for NBC News Digital. He joined MSNBC.com at its inception in July 1996, and took on the science role in July 1997 with the landing of NASA's Mars Pathfinder probe. Boyle is responsible for coverage of science and space for NBCNews.com.

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Space Station Glitch Could Delay SpaceX Cargo Ship's Launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA has ordered spacewalking repairs for a serious computer outage at the International Space Station.

A backup computer for some robotic systems failed Friday. The main computer is fine and the six-man crew is safe, but the malfunction puts next weeks supply run in jeopardy.

Mission managers agreed Saturday that a spacewalk is needed to replace the bad computer. But officials want one more day before deciding whether the situation is safe enough in orbit to proceed with Mondays SpaceX launch as planned.

NASA promised to decide Sunday whether to delay the delivery mission.

No date for the spacewalk has been set yet; officials indicated it could occur sometime in the next week or so. The job is among those practiced by the astronauts before flight.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule holds more than 2 tons of station supplies and science experiments at Cape Canaveral. The shipment is already a month late for unrelated reasons.

If the Dragon soars Monday - launch time is 4:58 p.m. EDT - then it would reach the orbiting lab on Wednesday.

Flight controllers want to make sure enough redundancy exists at the space station before committing to the launch.

The bad computer, called an MDM or multiplexer-demultiplexer, is among more than a dozen located on the outside of the space station, used to route commands to various systems.

Officials said the failure has had no impact on the scientific and other work being conducted by the astronauts: three Russians, two Americans and one Japanese.

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Space station computer outage demands spacewalk