NASA to attempt ISS solar panel repair
Posted: Thu, Nov 1, 2007, 7:36 AM ET (1136 GMT)
NASA has delayed a spacewalk planned to day to prepare for an attempted repair of a torn solar panel on the International Space Station. Thursday's EVA will now take place either Friday or Saturday, after engineers work out procedures to allow astronauts Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock to fix the panel, which tore in two placed while being extended on Tuesday. While the panel is still generating nearly 100 percent of its designed power, officials are concerned that the panel could be further damaged unless it's repaired now. Thursday's spacewalk was previously planned to further inspect a rotary joint that allows the solar arrays on part of the station to track the Sun; a check of the joint on Sunday revealed metallic debris in the joint, thought to be linked to vibrations in the joint during recent use.
NASA has delayed a spacewalk planned to day to prepare for an attempted repair of a torn solar panel on the International Space Station. Thursday's EVA will now take place either Friday or Saturday, after engineers work out procedures to allow astronauts Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock to fix the panel, which tore in two placed while being extended on Tuesday. While the panel is still generating nearly 100 percent of its designed power, officials are concerned that the panel could be further damaged unless it's repaired now. Thursday's spacewalk was previously planned to further inspect a rotary joint that allows the solar arrays on part of the station to track the Sun; a check of the joint on Sunday revealed metallic debris in the joint, thought to be linked to vibrations in the joint during recent use.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, May 12
Firefly Aerospace Subsidiary SciTec Awarded AFRL Contract for Advanced Algorithm R&D and Verification Architecture
GlobeNewswire — 6:15 am ET (1015 GMT) UK spends over £16.5M on Starlink, including for Ukraine
Ukrinform — 6:14 am ET (1014 GMT) How we protected the UK and space in April 2026
UK Space Agency — 6:13 am ET (1013 GMT) ULA Preps For First Amazon Launch On Vulcan Amid SRB Probe
Aviation Week — 6:11 am ET (1011 GMT) SpaceX eyes 136,000-acre Louisiana site for Starship testing
San Antonio Express-News — 6:09 am ET (1009 GMT) |
