Astronauts Suni Williams and Cady Coleman in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near NASA's Johnson Space Center, rehearse removing the ammonia pump that failed on the space station on July 31. Williams, wearing a suit with red stripes, and Coleman practiced removing the old pump and the installation of a spare. Expedition 24 crew members Doug Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson will make the actual repairs outside the International Space Station on Aug. 5.
NASA Moves Space Station Repair Spacewalk To Friday, Sets Briefings
The first of two spacewalks by NASA astronauts to replace a failed ammonia pump on the International Space Station has been delayed by 24 hours to Friday, Aug. 6. A second spacewalk is planned for Monday, Aug. 9, to complete the repairs. Flight controllers and station managers made the decision Monday night after reviewing proposed timelines, final procedures for the repair work, and the results from a spacewalk dress rehearsal conducted in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory near NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston. Read more
A major part of the International Space Station's cooling system suddenly shut down during the weekend, forcing the astronauts to power down equipment and face the likelihood of urgent spacewalking repairs. Yesterday Nasa managers approved two spacewalks, the first of which would take place later this week. Read more
Cooling system fault hits International Space Station
The crew of the International Space Station have been forced to reduce power after half the cooling system suddenly shut down over the weekend. Nasa officials insisted the three Americans and three Russians aboard were not in danger. Urgent spacewalk repairs are being discussed for this week. Read more
One of two coolant systems aboard the International Space Station malfunctioned late Saturday, triggering alarms and extensive power shutdowns to keep critical systems from overheating. The apparent failure of an ammonia pump in coolant loop A forced flight controllers to shut down two of four stabilizing gyroscopes, used to help control the space stations orientation, one communications channel and several computer control units. The astronauts also installed jumpers between the Russian Zarya propulsion module and the U.S. segment of the lab complex to maintain proper cooling. Read more
Two Russian cosmonauts on Tuesday completed a nearly 7-hour-long spacewalk to replace a video camera and improve cable connections to the orbiting laboratory's newest module. Read more
On Monday, July 26, Expedition 24 Flight Engineers Fyodor Yurchikhin and Mikhail Kornienko will wear Russian spacesuits for a six-hour spacewalk. They will prepare the recently delivered Russian Rassvet Module for future automated dockings by Russian spacecraft. NASA TV coverage of the spacewalk will begin at 10 p.m. Yurchikhin and Kornienko are expected to exit the Pirs airlock to begin their work at 10:45 p.m. It will be Yurchikhin's third spacewalk and the first for Kornienko. Read more
NASA And Partners Assign Crews For Upcoming Space Station Missions
NASA and its international partners, the Russia Federal Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), have assigned four new International Space Station crews. Read more
Russian mission control says a Soyuz space capsule has successfully flown from one module of the International Space Station to another after a delay. Read more