ISS astronauts have had space walk - rmf24.pl

astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) completed the first stage of repair of one of the two stations cooling systems. During the spacewalk removed the old pump that ammonia. Damage to the system occurred on December 11.

Mike Hopkins in preparation for the space walk

/ PAP / EPA / NASA /

Americans 53-year-old Rick Mastracchio and 44-year-old Mike Hopkins went into space to begin exchanging a defective pump pumping ammonia, which is used as a cooling agent. It is a difficult operation because the pump is the size of a refrigerator and has a mass of 353 kg.

When first starting the astronauts prepared only front works by disconnecting wires, removing the old pump and preparing backup. It was only during the second exit to join the proper installation. It take place on Monday, and any third output is planned for Christmas. If it happens, it will be the second exit into space in the history of this festive day. The first took place in 1973 during a mission to Skylab.

However, according to the Associated Press Saturday work pace was so fast that repairs can be completed during the second exit. The command center took even consider the possibility of extending the mission Saturday, but cold and discomfort Mastracchio forced to return to the station.

Saturday work in space lasted five and a half hours, an hour less than planned. Going into space, Mastracchio said it is “a beautiful day” when the ISS flew over the west coast of Africa.

They want to avoid another accident

NASA has before repairing special security measures to avoid the reimposition of the accident, which took place in July. Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly died when his helmet was flooded with water leaking from the cooling system of the suit. Despite the research, the exact causes of that crash has not been identified. During today’s mission the same suit wearing Mastracchio.

In connection with that event in the helmets of American astronauts installed a special tube for emergency breathing. They will be used if the water gets into the helmet.

NASA experts believe that the repair could not be put off, because if there is a failure of the second cooling system, the station will be seriously compromised. The threat may be so large that you will have to evacuate the entire crew.

From the time of failure, that is, from December 11, air-conditioning inside the station provides a second, back-up system. It works independently of the first, but his run made it necessary to exclude parts of the apparatus, which is not required.

NASA ensures that the lives of six members of the ISS crew is not at risk.

_(MRod)