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posted by cmn32480 on Monday May 22 2017, @08:48AM   Printer-friendly
from the things-that-can't-be-done-inside dept.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-station-idUSKBN18H0XQ

A pair of astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station as early as Tuesday for an emergency space walk to replace a failed computer, one of two that control major U.S. systems aboard the orbiting outpost, NASA said on Sunday.

The primary device failed on Saturday, leaving the $100 billion orbiting laboratory to depend on a backup system to route commands to its solar power system, radiators, cooling loops and other equipment.

The station's current five-member crew from the United States, Russia and France were never in any danger, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said in a statement.

NASA expects to make a decision later on Sunday about which astronauts aboard the station will make the two-hour space walk and when the assignment will take place.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 22 2017, @12:36PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 22 2017, @12:36PM (#513459)

    We are not talking about a PC here, but the control for the solar panels. Solar panels don't work very well indoors.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 22 2017, @01:55PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 22 2017, @01:55PM (#513484)

    I get that the panels are outside, duh. But if the solar panel controller is mounted on the outside of the ISS pressure vessel, then it's only a foot or so away from being on the inside. Of course there will be an airtight connector/pass-through required, but they must already have many of those.