NASA - Astronaut shakes panel loose, but there's a catch

[Guest guest]

Astronaut shakes panel loose, but there's a catch

POSTED: 10:54 p.m. EST, December 16, 2006

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) -- A pair of spacewalkers' manual shaking of a stubborn solar array managed to free some of its stuck grommets Saturday, but not enough to fold the array up into a box properly.

The array was more than half retracted when astronauts Robert Curbeam and Sunita Williams approached it after completing their main spacewalk tasks. After scores of shakes and remote-control commands to retract, the array folded another several degrees, eventually retracting 65 percent.

 

" We really commend you for a tremendous effort, an Olympian effort of our two shaking EVA members, " Mission Control radioed to the astronauts, using the technical acronym for spacewalk. The duo clocked a marathon 7-hour, 31-minute spacewalk, the last two hours of which was spent working on the array.

 

Curbeam and Williams made progress on a problem that has vexed NASA since Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the space agency approved conducting a fourth, unplanned spacewalk if astronauts were unable to get the accordion-like array to fold up into a box properly. The pair pushed on the box, shaking the 115-foot array in an attempt to loosen wire tension and free stuck grommets.

 

It's unclear whether NASA will go forth with that additional spacewalk. If carried out on Monday, it would delay space shuttle Discovery's landing at the Kennedy Space Center by a day to Friday, and push back other activities such as undocking and a late inspection of the shuttle's heat shield.

 

The partially retracted solar wing was part of the space station's temporary power system. A primary goal of Discovery's visit to the station was to rewire the lab and hook a new set of solar wings delivered in September onto the permanent electricity grid. To do that, NASA needed to retract the old solar panel so that the new ones had room to rotate with the movement of the sun to maximize the amount of electricity generated.

 

The old solar panel retracted enough to give the new ones clearance, but it did not fold all the way as NASA wanted.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/12/16/space.walk.ap/index.html

NASA dasha: Ju/Ve/Ra/Ra/Ve since Sunday 17, at 02:39 GMT.

Ju/Ve/Ra/Ra/Su will start on Wednesday 20, at 18:18 GMT. From the 19th onwards, transit Mars will be afflicting natal Venus, MEP3, MEP6, MEP9 and MEP10, thereby weakening transit Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, Rahu, and natalSaturn and Venus. Natal Mars is afflicting transit Jupiter. The affliction of transit retrograde Saturn over natal Jupiter is becoming closer day by day. On D4, net assets, and D12, losses, Venus is the MMP. Things will not be easy for sure. Attention is needed.

 

Best wishes,

Jorge

 

[Guest guest]

There's the sixth lord problem you saw Jorge.

 

Way to go.

 

SallyOn 12/16/06, Jorge Angelino <jorge.angelino wrote:

 

 

Astronaut shakes panel loose, but there's a catch

POSTED: 10:54 p.m. EST, December 16, 2006

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) -- A pair of spacewalkers' manual

shaking of a stubborn solar array managed to free some of its stuck

grommets Saturday, but not enough to fold the array up into a box

properly.

The array was more than half retracted when astronauts Robert

Curbeam and Sunita Williams approached it after completing their main

spacewalk tasks. After scores of shakes and remote-control commands to

retract, the array folded another several degrees, eventually

retracting 65 percent.

 

" We really commend you for a tremendous effort, an Olympian effort

of our two shaking EVA members, " Mission Control radioed to the

astronauts, using the technical acronym for spacewalk. The duo clocked

a marathon 7-hour, 31-minute spacewalk, the last two hours of which was

spent working on the array.

 

Curbeam and Williams made progress on a problem that has vexed NASA since Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, the space agency approved conducting a fourth,

unplanned spacewalk if astronauts were unable to get the accordion-like

array to fold up into a box properly. The pair pushed on the box,

shaking the 115-foot array in an attempt to loosen wire tension and

free stuck grommets.

 

I

[Guest guest]

Dear Sally,

 

Yes. Mars, L6 in US chart and L8 in NASA chart, is approaching MEP1 and MEP3, respectively. Besides, Venus, L8 in US chart, is approaching MEP2. Things are not easy in both charts.

 

Best wishes,

 

Jorge

On 12/17/06, Sally Spencer <sally234 wrote:

 

There's the sixth lord problem you saw Jorge.;)Way to go. Sally

On 12/16/06, Jorge Angelino <jorge.angelino

> wrote:

 

 

Astronaut shakes panel loose, but there's a catch

POSTED: 10:54 p.m. EST, December 16, 2006

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) -- A pair of spacewalkers' manual shaking of a stubborn solar array managed to free some of its stuck grommets Saturday, but not enough to fold the array up into a box properly.

The array was more than half retracted when astronauts Robert Curbeam and Sunita Williams approached it after completing their main spacewalk tasks. After scores of shakes and remote-control commands to retract, the array folded another several degrees, eventually retracting 65 percent.

" We really commend you for a tremendous effort, an Olympian effort of our two shaking EVA members, " Mission Control radioed to the astronauts, using the technical acronym for spacewalk. The duo clocked a marathon 7-hour, 31-minute spacewalk, the last two hours of which was spent working on the array.

Curbeam and Williams made progress on a problem that has vexed NASA since Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the space agency approved conducting a fourth, unplanned spacewalk if astronauts were unable to get the accordion-like array to fold up into a box properly. The pair pushed on the box, shaking the 115-foot array in an attempt to loosen wire tension and free stuck grommets.

I

[Guest guest]

That's a lot to assimilate. You are doing very good work Jorge.~On 12/17/06, Jorge Angelino <jorge.angelino

> wrote:

Dear Sally,

 

Yes. Mars, L6 in US chart and L8 in NASA chart, is approaching

MEP1 and MEP3, respectively. Besides, Venus, L8 in US chart, is

approaching MEP2. Things are not easy in both charts.

 

Best wishes,

 

Jorge

On 12/17/06, Sally Spencer <

sally234 wrote:

 

There's the sixth lord problem you saw Jorge.;)Way to go. Sally

[Guest guest]

Dear Sally,

 

Thanks for your kind works.

 

Best wishes,

 

Jorge

On 12/17/06, Sally Spencer <sally234 wrote:

 

That's a lot to assimilate. You are doing very good work Jorge.~

On 12/17/06, Jorge Angelino <jorge.angelino > wrote:

 

Dear Sally,

 

Yes. Mars, L6 in US chart and L8 in NASA chart, is approaching MEP1 and MEP3, respectively. Besides, Venus, L8 in US chart, is approaching MEP2. Things are not easy in both charts.

 

Best wishes,

 

Jorge

 

On 12/17/06, Sally Spencer < sally234

> wrote:

 

 

There's the sixth lord problem you saw Jorge.;)Way to go. Sally