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NASA extends Discovery mission to deal with worrisome ISS joint |
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Written by Derek Kessler on
Monday, 29 October 2007
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 Two days after spacewalking astronauts helping with the construction of the International Space Station discovered metal shavings - evidence of grinding - inside a large solar wing joint, NASA has decided to extend the shuttle's stay at the orbital laboratory for one day. The joint is used to rotate the station's massive solar panel wings for optimal exposure, and the astronauts aboard the ISS had reported power spikes and vibrations during movements. Certain that the joint has sustained some degree of damage, ground controllers immediately halted the joint in place.
Daniel Tani, the astronaut that discovered the shavings, took a sampling with a piece of tape and brought it back to the shuttle. The astronauts have determined that the debris is not from any aluminum-mylar thermal sheets or component covers, and that it contains iron - and indicator that is is part of the bearings or rails in the joint.
Because the joint has been locked in place, the station's power production will drop, though when the Space Shuttle Atlantis docks in December to deliver the new ESA Columbus laboratory the power generation should still be strong enough that the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer system will be used to allow for a longer shuttle visit.
In order to investigate the damage to the joint, NASA has elected to revamp the EVA schedule. OF the five planned EVAs, the fourth was to test a new method for repairing the shuttle's heat shield. Seeing the testing as being of a low priority (since the shield did not any notable damage), the new schedule abandoned the brief repair test and will not be a six hour plus investigation of the joint. To get into the six foot wide circular joint, the astronauts will have to remove 22 thermal blankets. "It's a bit of exploratory surgery," said Mike Suffredini, NASA's ISS program manager.
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