Category Archives: Space Station

Using makeshift tools that included a spare toothbrush, a pair of spacewalking astronauts successfully fixed a vital power system aboard the International Space Station.

It took hard work, determination and some MacGyver-esque ingenuity for a pair of spacewalking astronauts to fix a key power system aboard the International Space Station Wednesday (Sept. 5).

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Suni is currently taking part in a planned 6 Hour, 30 Minute spacewalk to install a new Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) on the truss outside the International Space Station.

NASA spaceflyerSunita Williamsand Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide spent nearly 6 1/2 hours yesterday outside in the vacuum of space to properly install a pair of bolts that had caused problems for the pair during a previous spacewalk last week.

In addition to their regular spacewalking gear, Williams and Hoshide were armed with some makeshift tools including animprovised wire cleaner and a toothbrush to help them get the job done.

On Aug. 30, Williams and Hoshide completed a marathon spacewalk that lasted more than 8 hours, but the astronauts were thwarted by a stubborn bolt and were unable to finish connecting the so-calledmain bus switching unit(MBSU). The stuck bolt forced NASA to add Wednesday's extra spacewalk.

But, following last week's unsuccessful attempt, flight controllers, engineers and veteran spacewalkers worked around the clock at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to devise a solution to the problem. Using only the supplies available on the space station, the teams came up with creative new tools for Williams and Hoshide to use to install the MBSU.

One was a modified toothbrush that was used to lubricate the inside of the bolt's housing after debris and metal shavings from inside had been removed. Another improvised instrument included a cleaning tool that had been made from wires that were bent back to form a brush, explained Kieth Johnson, lead spacewalk director at the Johnson Space Center. [Photos: Spacewalkers Fix Space Station Power Unit]

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MacGuyver in space? Astronauts fix space station with toothbrush.

Surrounded by expensive, high-tech equipment, astronauts Sunita Williams and Akihiko Hoshide had to resort to a toothbrush and elbow grease to fix a bolt on the International Space Station on Wednesday.

This added credence to a lesson NASA's Williams said she'd learned before: "You can't get married to a plan."

She added: "It seems like something you thought was going to be difficult turns out to be easy, and something you thought was going to be easy turns out to be hard."

PHOTOS: Awesome images from space

Williams wrote about the "sticky" bolt in a blog post earlier this week that revealed the patience and stamina of the Indian American astronaut, who reportedly holds the record as the woman with the longest space flight: 195 days. She's also now the woman with the most experience walking in space.

With Wednesday's outing, Williams broke the record for time spent spacewalking by a female astronaut, NASA spokesman Josh Byerly confirmed Thursday to the Los Angeles Times.

On Wednesday, Williams and Japanese astronaut Hoshide tackled the bolt, which was plugged with metal shavings, to install a new power-relay unit. The bolt problem had cut power to the space station that is gathered from eight solar wings, according to an Associated Press report. Astronauts had been forced to shut down some equipment.

During a 6-hour spacewalk Wednesday, the pair applied grease to the bolt and cleaned it with the toothbrush and a wire brush. They also just plain jiggled it.

Back on Earth, NASA scientists celebrated.

"Looks like you fixed the station," Mission Control told the crew on the radio amid applause, according to the AP.

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Space station's toothbrush fix; astronaut breaks spacewalk record

It took hard work, determination and some MacGyver-esque ingenuity for a pair of spacewalking astronauts to fix a key power system aboard the International Space Station Wednesday.

NASA spaceflyer Sunita Williams and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide spent nearly 6 1/2 hours yesterday outside in the vacuum of space to properly install a pair of bolts that had caused problems for the pair during a previous spacewalk last week.

In addition to their regular spacewalking gear, Williams and Hoshide were armed with some makeshift tools including an improvised wire cleaner and a toothbrush to help them get the job done.

On Aug. 30, Williams and Hoshide completed a marathon spacewalk that lasted more than 8 hours, but the astronauts were thwarted by a stubborn bolt and were unable to finish connecting the so-called main bus switching unit (MBSU). The stuck bolt forced NASA to add Wednesday's extra spacewalk.

But, following last week's unsuccessful attempt, flight controllers, engineers and veteran spacewalkers worked around the clock at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to devise a solution to the problem. Using only the supplies available on the space station, the teams came up with creative new tools for Williams and Hoshide to use to install the MBSU.

One was a modified toothbrush that was used to lubricate the inside of the bolt's housing after debris and metal shavings from inside had been removed. Another improvised instrument included a cleaning tool that had been made from wires that were bent back to form a brush, explained Kieth Johnson, lead spacewalk director at the Johnson Space Center. [Photos: Spacewalkers Fix Space Station Power Unit]

"We knew that we had particles down inside the socket, so they came outside with yet another tool that was developed by the ground team," Johnson told reporters in a post-spacewalk news briefing.

The inventive ideas that led to today's spacewalk success demonstrates how well the teams on the ground and in orbit work together, and shows the dedication of those involved in the agency's space station program, said flight director Ed Van Cise.

"It was really amazing to watch the ingenuity, to watch the flight controllers," Van Cise said. "It was amazing to see it all come together."

And with the MBSU now up and running, mission controllers are now able to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

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How a toothbrush helped fix the space station

25-05-2012 11:44 The SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft was berthed to the Harmony Module of the International Space Station today May 25th 2012 with a firm mate occurring at 16:02 UTC. The robotic arm will remain limp on Dragon until tomorrow. Hatch opening with the Dragon and the Space Station will also occur tomorrow.

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[SpaceX] Dragon Berthed to Space Station - Video

25-05-2012 17:14 Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit of NASA, Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency and Flight Engineer Joe Acaba of NASA grappled and berthed the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the station's Harmony module May 25, 2012, marking a milestone in spaceflight history. Dragon became the first commercially developed space vehicle to be launched to the station to join Russian, European and Japanese resupply craft that service the complex while restoring a US capability to deliver cargo to the orbital laboratory.

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Space Station Crew Welcomes World's First Commercial Cargo Craft - Video

25-05-2012 12:29 The International Space Station has picked up its first commercially delivered supplies. Astronauts used a robotic arm to grab the SpaceX Dragon capsule. On board the Dragon is almost half a tonne of supplies for the space station crew. Al Jazeera's Kimbarly Halkett reports.

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SpaceX capsule docks with space station - Video

26-05-2012 05:38 HD video of the hatch opening of the SpaceX Dragon capsule from the International Space Station (ISS) on May 26th, 2012 (5/26/2012). Hatch opening occurred at roughly 6AM EST. The SpaceX Dragon capsule is the first private space launch and delivery system to dock with the ISS. It will resupply the crew with food, equipment, clothing, and other items, and then will undock on May 31st to re-enter Earth's atmosphere, where it will hopefully be recovered.

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SpaceX Dragon Capsule Hatch Opening from International Space Station (ISS) HD 5/26/2012 - Video

24-06-2012 04:32 China has made history by manually docking a spacecraft in orbit, joining the US and Russia in accomplishing the feat.

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China's space station dream one step closer - Video

22-06-2012 12:22 NASA is using the Internet and smartphones to provide the public with a new inside look at what happens aboard the International Space Station and in the Mission Control Center. NASA Public Affairs Officer Dan Huot provides a video tour of the new site, which is now online at spacestationlive.nasa.gov.

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Space Station Live! Tour - Video

01-07-2012 01:21 The manned Russian Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station today, July 1st 2012, at 04:48 UTC as they prepare to return to Earth. Expedition 31 crew members Oleg Kononenko, Andre Kuipers and Don Pettit having spent 194 days in Space are returning home today with their de-orbit burn to slow them down and exit Earth's orbit set for 07:19 UTC and their landing in Kazachstan at 08:14 UTC. Expedition 32, the next increment of crewed operations on the Space Station officially began when this Soyuz TMA-03M undocked.

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[ISS] Manned Soyuz TMA-03M Departs Space Station - Video