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Spacewalk on as ISS woes ease Repairs ease space mission woes
(about 2 hours later)
The third spacewalk of Nasa's latest shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has begun. Problems dogging a mission to the International Space Station have been eased following a space walk and a computer reboot.
The crew are attempting to repair a thermal blanket on Atlantis that peeled back during launch. A third spacewalk by astronauts on the shuttle Atlantis has fixed a tear in its thermal blanket that occurred during lift off.
The spacewalk had been overshadowed by ongoing problems with the Russian computer system on the ISS. And Russian cosmonauts have now successfully rebooted vital ISS computer systems that had crashed.
But Russian cosmonauts have now successfully rebooted the system, which controls thrusters that point solar panels towards the Sun. The systems control the station's positioning and its oxygen supply.
Cargo vessel
While the system was down, the ISS was relying on its four gyroscopes to maintain its orientation.While the system was down, the ISS was relying on its four gyroscopes to maintain its orientation.
Lynette Madison, a Nasa spokeswoman in Houston, said the computers were "up and operational and this is good news for all".Lynette Madison, a Nasa spokeswoman in Houston, said the computers were "up and operational and this is good news for all".
Russian Mission Control chief Vladimir Solovyov said engineers had to disconnect the Russian oxygen-generating system, called Elektron, during repairs as it is dependent on the faulty computers. The lives of the crew were not in danger.Russian Mission Control chief Vladimir Solovyov said engineers had to disconnect the Russian oxygen-generating system, called Elektron, during repairs as it is dependent on the faulty computers. The lives of the crew were not in danger.
The computer glitches vexed the engineers in Moscow
Russian space officials had said they were considering sending their cargo vessel Progress to the ISS earlier than scheduled to deliver spare parts for the computers if the problems persisted.Russian space officials had said they were considering sending their cargo vessel Progress to the ISS earlier than scheduled to deliver spare parts for the computers if the problems persisted.
Meanwhile Atlantis crew members Jim Reilly and Danny Olivas were embarking on the mission's third spacewalk. Mission extension
The first task will be to repair the shuttle's torn thermal blanket. Meanwhile Atlantis crew members Jim Reilly and Danny Olivas embarked on the mission's third spacewalk.
A 10cm (4in) section of blanket peeled back as the shuttle blasted off from Cape Canaveral on Friday. The computer glitches vexed the engineers in Moscow
The blanket protects the shuttle from the intense heat of re-entering the atmosphere. Engineers think the blanket was loosened by aerodynamic forces during lift-off. The six-hour walk repaired damage to the shuttle's heat shield.
The astronauts will also attempt to install a new vent for an oxygen system as well as assist in the retraction of a solar array during their 6.5 hour excursion. The astronauts used a medical stapler to seal a gap about the size of a human hand between sections of thermal insulation.
The crew of space shuttle Atlantis was originally due to spend 11 days at the ISS, but the mission has since been extended to 13 days to carry out the thermal shield repairs. The blanket section had peeled back as the shuttle blasted off from Cape Canaveral on Friday.
The blanket protects the shuttle from the intense heat of re-entering the atmosphere.
Damage to the shuttle Columbia in 2003 during its launch led to the vehicle's disintegration as it returned to Earth, killing all seven crew.
The crew of Atlantis were originally due to spend 11 days at the ISS, but the mission has since been extended to 13 to carry out the thermal shield repairs.
This was supposed to be the second shuttle mission of 2007, but a freak storm over the Florida launch site in late February caused hail damage to the shuttle and delayed the mid-March flight.This was supposed to be the second shuttle mission of 2007, but a freak storm over the Florida launch site in late February caused hail damage to the shuttle and delayed the mid-March flight.
Despite the delays, managers are confident they will be able to complete the ISS before the shuttles' 2010 retirement date.Despite the delays, managers are confident they will be able to complete the ISS before the shuttles' 2010 retirement date.
Nasa plans to fly 15 more missions to the station to deliver large components, spare parts and other supplies. In addition, one final servicing call to the Hubble Space Telescope is planned for September 2008.Nasa plans to fly 15 more missions to the station to deliver large components, spare parts and other supplies. In addition, one final servicing call to the Hubble Space Telescope is planned for September 2008.