|
|
|
|
|
Drive motor indicates engaged BY WILLIAM HARWOOD STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION Posted: September 13, 2006 Engineers troubleshooting an apparent alignment problem with one of two drive motors in a mechanism needed to rotate new solar arrays on the international space station apparently have resolved the glitch, officials said late today. Details were not immediately available, but sources said the problem may have been triggered by a subtle computer commanding issue. Late today, a NASA spokeswoman confirmed the drive motor in question had been successfully engaged more than three hours after the problem first cropped up, delaying initial deployment of the new solar arrays. Engineers now plan to press ahead with checkout of the solar alpha rotary joint, rotating it through 360 degrees using the now-engaged motor, but it's not yet clear when they might begin the initial deployment of the station's new solar arrays. The 2,500-pound solar alpha rotary joint, or SARJ, is the centerpiece of the newly installed P3, or port three, truss that was attached to the left side of the station's main solar power beam Tuesday. It is designed to rotate outboard solar arrays so the panels can stay face on to the sun as the station circles the globe. Engineers had hoped to begin the initial deployment of the new P4 solar arrays attached to the SARJ this evening, extending the panels a few feet to relieve compression after years of storage. The Atlantis astronauts are scheduled to fully deploy the 115-foot-long solar wings early Thursday. But during SARJ checkout this afternoon, engineers ran into problems with one of two redundant drive motors. One drive lock assembly, or DLA, successfully rotated the P4 arrays 180 degrees in an afternoon test. But when engineers attempted to carry out a 360-degree rotation with the redundant DLA, a sensor indicated an apparent misalignment in the gear train. A procedure was executed to clear the problem, but the misalignment indication remained. Flight controllers then decided to hold up the initial array deployment while they assessed what, if anything, needed to be done.
|
|
|
|
STS-115 patch The official crew patch for the STS-115 mission of space shuttle Atlantis to resume orbital construction of the International Space Station. Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide  Expedition 18 patch & pin  The official embroidered patch and lapel pin for the International Space Station Expedition 18 crew is now available to from our stores.U.S. STORE: PATCH | PINWORLD STORE: PATCH | PINAres patch  The Ares Project will develop two new rockets to launch astronauts back to the Moon under NASA's Vision for Exploration. The Ares 1 will employ a single space shuttle solid rocket booster to loft the Orion crew capsule. The gigantic Ares 5 will haul the equipment and cargo needed for such lunar voyages. This is the Ares emblem.U.S. STORE Apollo patches  The Apollo Patch Collection: Includes all 12 Apollo mission patches plus the Apollo Program Patch. Save over 20% off the Individual price. U.S. STORE Columbus mission patch  The official astronaut embroidered patch of Atlantis' STS-122 mission that launched the Columbus science lab in February is available to U.S. customers from our store.U.S. STOREViking patch  This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Shuttle pin  This lapel pin features the official crew emblem for the STS-121 space shuttle mission. The emblem depicts Discovery docked to the International Space Station.Choose your store:U.S. Apollo 7 DVD  For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide From the NASA Archives  This three-disc DVD contains rare footage from the pioneering Gemini space missions of the 1960s and an original hour-long documentary.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
MISSION INDEX INDEX | PLUS | NEWS ARCHIVE | LAUNCH SCHEDULE ASTRONOMY NOW | STORE ADVERTISE © 2008 Pole Star Publications Ltd |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
VIDEO:
PORT 3/PORT 4 TRUSS KEEL PIN REMOVED AND STOWED 