[sarex] Navigation Computers Troubleshooting Efforts Continue

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C#31468

*Navigation Computers Troubleshooting Efforts Continue*

This afternoon, the crew inside the International Space Station was able 
to power-up two lanes of the Russian Central Computer and two lanes of 
the Terminal Computer by using a jumper cable to bypass a faulty 
secondary power switch. The current plan is to allow the computers to 
operate overnight and analyze the data Saturday morning.

Earlier in the day, International Space Station Program Manager Mike 
Suffredini told reporters Russian and U.S. flight controllers and 
engineers are focusing on efforts for recovering the computers and 
options to maintain attitude control until the problem is resolved.

“I think we’re in good shape,” Suffredini said. “We still have a lot of 
options to go through to recover these machines. We’ve got a talented 
group of people to look at attitude control.”

The navigation computers provide backup attitude control and orbital 
altitude adjustments. For now, the station’s control moment gyroscopes 
are handling attitude control, with the shuttle’s propulsion system 
providing backup.

*Crews Work Together on Station, Shuttle*

The S3/S4 truss and solar array viewed from the shuttle

The Expedition 15 and STS-117 crews continue to conduct joint operations 
aboard the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Throughout the week, the two crews have been activating the Starboard 3 
and 4 (S3/S4) truss segment that was attached to the station on Monday.

The STS-117 crew has conducted two spacewalks to prepare the new segment 
for activation and to retract arrays on the Port 6 (P6) truss. The P6 
will be relocated from atop the station to the end of the Port 5 truss 
by a future shuttle crew.

The S3/S4, which is 45 feet long and weighs 35,678 pounds, contains a 
new set of solar arrays that will increase the station’s 
power-generation capabilities. The S3/S4 also contains a rotary joint 
that will allow its arrays to track the sun.

In addition to a new truss segment, NASA Astronaut Clayton Anderson 
joined the Expedition 15 crew on Sunday, replacing Flight Engineer Suni 
Williams. Anderson arrived at the station as a member of Space Shuttle 
Atlantis’ crew. Atlantis docked to the station on Sunday. Williams spent 
six months as an Expedition crew member.

STS-117 arrived at the station June 10 and is scheduled to undock June 19.

+ Read more about Expedition 15 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.html>
+ View crew daily timelines 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html>