SCI/TECH: ISS Spacewalk Canceled

A much needed and potentially dangerous EVA (extra-vehicular activity) was called off shortly after the two ISS astronauts left the confines of the station today. The EVA had been scheduled to repair the PCM (power control module) on the Z1 platform. This PCM is the cause of at least one CMG (control moment gyroscope) being offline.

www.space.com...

Space station mission controllers have called off a spacewalk for the crew of Expedition 9 aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to space suit problems.

Just minutes after Expedition 9 crewmembers Michael Fincke and Gennady Padalka left the International Space Station bound for a six-hour spacewalk, Russian mission controllers in Moscow ordered the astronauts to return to the ISS.

Fincke's primary oxygen bottle, not his space suit, appeared to lose pressure faster than anticipated, prompting Russian flight controllers to recall the two astronauts back inside the space station's Pirs docking compartment and close the outer hatch. While inside the Pirs compartment, the astronauts searched for a potential leak in Fincke's suit and oxygen supply, then reopened the inner hatch to the Russian Zvezda service module. They are now powering up the ISS to normal working operations.

The article goes on to say that they were wearing the Russian style, built spacesuits. Perhaps this is what caused the fault, as that their equipment seems to never be quite up to par for the situation. At least nothing happned to the astro/cosmonauts, being the other dangerous qualities of this mission.




[edit on 6-25-2004 by Valhall]