ISS leak - Spacewalk later today

[Channel Hopper]

Or EVA if you want the correct terminology

The NASA-led ISS Mission Management Team has scheduled a meeting for late May 10 to consider final approval for a 6-7-hr. extravehicular activity (EVA) to replace the source of the suspected leak, a pump and flow control system (PFCS) electronics box, or to carry out further troubleshooting.
The urgency of the spacewalk is timing, Mike Suffredini, NASA’s ISS program manger told a May 10 news briefing. By the time the spacewalk occurs, station managers are hopeful there will be enough residual pressure in the thermal control system for the astronauts spot the liquid ammonia as it freezes and escapes in distinctive white flakes. “We are talking about a very very small hole,” Suffredini said. “The hard part will be finding the location.”



http://www.space.com/21088-space-station-ammonia-leak-seen-by-iss-cameras-video.html

It is a pity the station is based on old technology, as with some earlier thought on the design, they could have sealed it from the inside (much like cracking an egg in the radiator) but hey ho!

 

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Out in 20 minutes, live feed

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

 

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Hatch opening, video off for about 15 minutes though audio is working.

 

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And they're out, about 150' to navigate to the leak.

 

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Now at the leak site.

Helmet cams coming on in a few minutes

 

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Helmet cameras on, upgraded to high(er) definition in the past few weeks.

 

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The ISS exploded diagram, P6 where the leak is, is to the far right.

 

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Kudos - still outside working on the leak.

Some great images of them working in the superstructure.

 

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Some Images

 

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Now entering the -outer - airlock

 

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Hatch closed

 

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And.......success

Chris Cassidy and Tom Marshburn replaced a pump control box thought to be responsible for the leak of ammonia, which cools down the orbiting lab's systems. It looks like this fix did the trick, as no ammonia flakes were seen streaming into space when Mission Control turned on the newly installed gear.



http://www.space.com/21099-space-station-leak-spacewalk-fix.html

 

[Topper]

Let's hope the internal plumbing doesn't fail next