News From Space!

The Space Station’s computers are slowly coming back, and Atlantis is helping to steady the station in the meantime. The root cause might be noisy power coming from the Station’s new solar arrays. Tomorrow, spacewalkers will attempt to fix the torn thermal blanket on the Orbiter’s tail section. NASA reports:

Astronauts Fold Arrays, Prepare for Spacewalk

Image above: The partially retracted solar array on the Port 6 truss. Image credit: NASA TV

The STS-117 and Expedition 15 crews moved through a busy day aboard the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Atlantis. They were retracting solar arrays and preparing for STS-117’s third spacewalk.

The STS-117 crew resumed retraction of the starboard P6 solar array at 12:25 p.m. today. The crew and flight controllers decided to conclude the efforts just before 4 p.m. with about half of the 31½ array bays retracted. The crew will resume retraction activities Friday with the help of the spacewalkers if needed.

The schedule for STS-117 Mission Specialists Jim Reilly and Danny Olivas includes a review of procedures and the practice of techniques they will use during the spacewalk set to begin at 1:38 p.m. EDT Friday. The first task of the extravehicular activity is the repair of a thermal blanket that pulled away from the orbital maneuvering system pod on the rear of the shuttle.

Flight controllers continue efforts to bring the [ISS navigation] computers back up to full operation. For now, the station’s control moment gyroscopes are handling attitude control, with the shuttle’s propulsion system providing backup.

Flight Day 6 pics are up at the JSC Gallery. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

ISS flight controllers were working today to get the ISS navigation computers working all the way. Will the Atlantis crew have to extend their stay again, to keep the Station steady? NASA reports:

Crews Work Together; Flight Controllers Work on Computer Problem

Image above: The International Space Station’s new S3/S4 truss and solar arrays are viewed from Space Shuttle Atlantis’ robotic arm. Image credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 15 crew continues to conduct joint operations with its visitors on the International Space Station. Meanwhile, Russian flight controllers are troubleshooting a problem with backup navigation computers.

The computers were restarted Thursday morning. Flight controllers continue efforts to bring the computers back up to full operation.

Throughout the week, the two crews have been activating the Starboard 3 and 4 (S3/S4) truss segment that was attached to the station on Monday. The STS-117 crew has conducted two spacewalks to prepare the new segment for activation and to retract arrays on the Port 6 (P6) truss. The P6 will be relocated from atop the station to the end of the Port 5 truss by a future shuttle crew.

The S3/S4, which is 45 feet long and weighs 35,678 pounds, contains a new set of solar arrays that will increase the station’s power-generation capabilities. The S3/S4 also contains a rotary joint that will allow its arrays to track the sun.

Two more spacewalks are scheduled for STS-117’s stay.

In addition to a new truss segment, NASA Astronaut Clayton Anderson joined the Expedition 15 crew on Sunday, replacing Flight Engineer Suni Williams. Anderson arrived at the station as a member of Space Shuttle Atlantis’ crew. Atlantis docked to the station on Sunday. Williams spent six months as an Expedition crew member.

Atlantis is scheduled to undock from the station June 19.

Flight Day 6 videos are up at the JSC Gallery. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

For the ISS and Atlantis crews, Thursday started out with a little more excitement than they wanted - computers controlling the Station’s life-support systems crashed overnight. NASA reports:

Crews to Fold Arrays, Prep for Spacewalk Repair Tasks

Image above: Spacewalker Steve Swanson helps with the retraction of a solar array during the mission’s second spacewalk. Image credit: NASA TV

As Space Shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station sail above Earth today, the STS-117 and Expedition 15 crews will continue retracting solar arrays and preparing for repair work during Friday’s spacewalk.

STS-117 Mission Specialists Jim Reilly and Danny Olivas will review procedures and practice techniques they will use during the spacewalk set to begin at 1:38 p.m. EDT Friday. The first task of the extravehicular activity is the repair of a thermal blanket that pulled away from the orbital maneuvering system pod on the rear of the shuttle.

This morning at 11:38, the STS-117 crew will resume retraction of the starboard P6 solar array. Almost half of the 31½ array bays were retracted Wednesday. If the arrays are not fully retracted today, efforts will resume Friday with the assistance of the spacewalkers.

About an hour and 20 minutes before this morning’s scheduled wakeup call, the crews were awakened by a false alarm on the station. The alarm was triggered by the restart of Russian navigation computers that provide backup attitude control and orbital altitude adjustments. For now, the station’s control moment gyroscopes are handling attitude control, with the shuttle’s propulsion system providing backup.

Flight Day 5 pics and video are up at the JSC Gallery. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.