SCI/TECH: Oxygen generator fails on space station, page 1

posted on Sep, 10 2004 @ 12:29 PM

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The main oxygen generator onboard ISS has failed but NASA has stated it is not worried as crew has 1 month backup of air on the docked cargo ship. The generator has failed before because of air bubbles in the lines. The next cargo ship will arrive sometime in October. Rob Navias says "we are fat on oxygen."

edition.cnn.com
CNN) -- The main oxygen generator on the International Space Station has failed, but NASA said Thursday there is plenty of oxygen on board to sustain the station's inhabitants for the foreseeable future. A backup generator and other methods of oxygen production also are available to the crew should they be needed, the agency said.

Gennady Padalka and Michael Fincke, the cosmonaut and astronaut now on board, will attempt to repair the problem Friday.

Padalka believes there is a clog in the manifold that he can easily remove to get the device running again. The Russian generator has broken down repeatedly because of air bubbles in the line, but after an initial check that was found not to be the problem this time.

According to Rob Navias, NASA spokesman, there is no cause for alarm. "We are fat on oxygen, we are fat on resupply and backups," he said.

edition.cnn.com...

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

To be stuck way up there with no fully functional air generator is not a good thing. Would be a very insecure feeling for me.

I wonder if these parts were made by the cheapest bidder?

[edit on 9-10-2004 by Valhall]

William One Sac

posted on Sep, 10 2004 @ 01:45 PM

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Great!

Lets just hope the replicators dont go off line before that cargo ship gets there.

thematrix

posted on Sep, 10 2004 @ 03:35 PM

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William One Sac: I'd have more trouble with the Holodeck going offline, its so booring up there all alone in space :p

Calculon386

posted on Sep, 10 2004 @ 04:29 PM

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As long as a glitch doesnt happen and Abraham Lincoln or Billy the Kid steps outta the Holodeck to raise hell on the Space Station.

Seriously... the station is in more and more danger of being lost everyday...

CoolATIGuy

posted on Sep, 10 2004 @ 04:51 PM

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Or a shortage of phasers...that always stinks. :-P

Really, we call ourselves an "advanced civilization", and yet we have people in outer space with broken oxygen generators...does this sound funky to anyone else? I can just see Buzz Aldrin telling the space cadets, "Oh, and if the oxygen tanks don't seem to be refilling, just give the generator a good smack; that usually brings it back to life". :-P

CoolATIGuy

[edit on 10-9-2004 by CoolATIGuy]

DrpKeeGTZ

posted on Sep, 10 2004 @ 04:55 PM

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The Russian generator has broken down repeatedly because of air bubbles in the line, but after an initial check that was found not to be the problem this time.

That is my favoroit line.. "repeatedly"!!!! WHAT?? ummmm if something keeps going down for the same problem, wouldn't you go and try to fix that particular problem?
It breaks down due to AIR bubbles? air... umm isn't that what it is supposed to make?

valkeryie

posted on Sep, 12 2004 @ 05:43 PM

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Space station's oxygen generator remains broken
Astronauts get it to run for an hour, then it quits again
Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. - The astronauts aboard the international space station got their broken oxygen generator running after three tries Friday, but the machine shut down again after barely an hour of operation.

Mission Control told the two crewmen that the generator would remain off over the weekend, to give engineers time to further analyze the problem.

The Russian-made generator � the crew's primary source of breathing oxygen � failed earlier in the week because of a clogged line.

www.chron.com...