Space Station Computer Problems
The International Space Station is experiencing serious computer problems. NASA engineers are trying to figure out what, exactly, is going on. For now the computers are more or less running, but they are expected to keep going up and down all day. Atlantis may have to remain docked for an additional day so it can help stabilize the station in orbit. In a worst case scenario, the station might have to be abandoned and the astronauts have warmed up the escape capsule, a Russian Soyuz.
The computers were up and running briefly early Thursday, said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for space operations. But since engineers are still troubleshooting, they were expected to go down and come back up throughout the day.
"I think we're stable. In my world, this is space station operations," Gerstenmaier said.
It will probably be several days before engineers figure out what caused the computers to fail Wednesday, he said.
"We've got a challenge. We'll figure out a way to get this behind us," he said. "We've got time. There's no criticality that we have to figure this out in a certain amount of time."
This type of computer failure had never been seen before on the space station. The addition of a new solar array to the space station might be a cause, he said. Other possibilities include electromagnetic interference and a software problem.
A new solar array had been unfolded outside the station Tuesday to help provide power for the orbiting outpost, and astronauts spent Wednesday hooking up a joint that will let the arrays track the sun.
The crew got a scare early Thursday while the computers were being reconnected: A fire alarm went off on the Russian Zarya module, but Gerstenmaier said there was no indication of fire or smoke.
Since Atlantis is still docked at the space station, its thrusters can help, if needed, to maintain the station's position while computers are down, Gerstenmaier said.
NASA has not decided whether to extend the mission because of the problem, he said. But Atlantis astronauts were asked Thursday to begin conserving power in case the shuttle has to remain an extra day.
I have no idea how the computers are set up, but it seems odd that there are not redundant systems in place, which is how NASA normally operates. On the other hand, the computer system is Russian, so who knows. But there is another odd story concerning weird happenings at the station:
PALATINE, Ill. - A mother of two in this suburb of Chicago doesn't have to turn on the news for an update on NASA's space mission. She just flips on her baby monitor. Since Sunday, Natalie Meilinger's baby monitor has been picking up black-and-white video from inside the space shuttle Atlantis.
"Whoever has a baby monitor knows what you'll usually see," said the elementary school science teacher. "No one would ever expect this."
Live video of the mission is available on NASA's Web site, so it's possible the monitor is picking up a signal from somewhere.
"It's not coming straight from the shuttle," NASA spokeswoman Brandi Dean said. "People here think this is very interesting and you don't hear of it often — if at all."
You know, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this as unrelated. It is certainly unprecedented and at least bears looking into.
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Blue Crab Boulevard » Space Station Computers Still Down — Friday, 15 June , 2007 @ 9:06 am
By Chris, Friday, 15 June , 2007 @ 8:18 am
Baby monitors have video now? Seriously, is anyone surprised that the Russian components of this boondoggle are failing?