They've got Amtrack running on the space station? You've got to be kidding me.
I'll make a prediction: even in zero gravity, it'll still loose money.
Posted on 11/30/2002 2:11:31 PM PST by snopercod
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A railcar crucial to the construction of the international space station stalled on its tracks today, and two spacewalking astronauts went out to try to get it moving again.
Mission Control asked Michael Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington to look for any obstructions that might have caused the railcar to get stuck. The spacewalk -- their third this week -- had been planned all along so they could complete work on a newly installed girder.
Flight controllers initially suspected the railcar problem may have been caused by a momentary loss of computer data. But later, they said the railcar probably snagged on something while traveling down the tracks.
Astronauts inside the space station zoomed in on the area with cameras but didn't see anything unusual. "Do you have any clues you can give us?" astronaut Peggy Whitson asked Mission Control.
Mission Control replied that engineers noticed a large current spike moments before the railcar stalled, indicating a snag on the tracks. "But we really don't have any straight idea of where that snag might be," Mission Control said.
Two minicarts were linked to the railcar, and Mission Control asked the spacewalkers to detach the carts to get a better view of any obstructions.
The $190 million railcar was empty when it abruptly stopped, after traveling about 45 feet, 10 feet short of its destination. It had just crossed onto the new girder, which was delivered by space shuttle Endeavour last week.
The space station's 58-foot arm was supposed to be maneuvered onto the railcar to serve as a crane during Saturday's spacewalk. But Mission Control warned Lopez-Alegria and Herrington, visiting from Endeavour, that they may have to perform their work on the $390 million girder without the use of the arm.
The astronauts had 33 clamps to install on joints in exterior air-conditioning lines to avoid pressure buildups.
The railcar will be necessary next year as a moving base for the robot arm so NASA can add more girders to the three already in place. This framework eventually will stretch 356 feet, from its current 134 feet, and support a network of solar wings and radiators.
Endeavour is supposed to undock from the space station on Monday and return to Earth on Wednesday with Whitson and two Russian cosmonauts, who spent six months on the orbiting outpost.
(FR doesn't have a "Locale" for Low Earth Orbit, so I chose Texas instead.)
LOL!
Appropriate since it is operated from JSC near Houston. Can't bring myself to spell out JSC.
Really.
prisoner6
The antennae was in a "stowed" position so now they're trying to deploy it and clear the rail.
I've been watching it live on NASA TV.
Lockheed again??
The Space Station is using antiquated Russian technology.
They should be using Maglev.
They actually carry something similar on the Shuttle. I don't recall the number, but it's fiberglass reinforced teflon with an adhesive that won't leave a residue on the shuttle parts. It's like $50-$100 a roll, as I recall.
Please tell me you are just joking.
They've got Amtrack running on the space station? You've got to be kidding me.
I'll make a prediction: even in zero gravity, it'll still loose money.
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