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Bolt problem prompts change in plans for lubrication
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: May 22, 2011


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Trouble with bolts holding thermal covers in place on one of the space station's solar array drive mechanisms has forced flight controllers to modify plans for lubricating the underlying drive gear. When astronaut Michael Fincke removed the first two thermal covers, several supposedly captive bolts popped loose and floated free. Fincke managed to snag at least two bolts with his gloved hand, one from each panel, but two others apparently floated away.

Flight controllers, unsure about what was causing the bolts to release from lock washers in the thermal covers, told Fincke and astronaut Andrew Feustel not to remove as many covers as originally planned and to lubricate the solar alpha rotary joint as best they can with reduced access.

"We're going to minimize the number of covers we're going to take off," astronaut Steve Swanson radioed the crew from mission control. "We're going to continue with cover 16, since we're partway done with that, we're going to do cover 13 and cover nine. And those are the only covers we're going to take off at this time, we'll do the best job we can at lubing it, etc., but that's how far we're going with the covers."

He told the Fincke not to drive the bolts all the way out with his power tool and instead to loosen them and attempt to make the final few rotations by hand to avoid putting too much stress on the materials.

"I'd like to be even more methodical than usual on these," Fincke told Feustel. "We'll get the job done, but be very careful."

"The obvious concern is foreign object debris, in other words, any of the bolts or washers coming free," said mission control commentator Kyle Herring. "The obvious desire also is to get the port solar alpha rotary joint lubricated because it will be quite some time before that opportunity presents itself again. So that's what the teams have been discussing in the background."

Working to finish removing cover No. 16, Fincke reported yet another bolt popping off. Again, he managed to catch it with his gloved hand.

"I got the bolt," Fincke reported.

"That's your, like, fourth great catch, Mike," astronaut Gregory Chamitoff said from the shuttle Endeavour's flight deck.

"We're watching very closely and Spanky's doing a great job of being gentle," Swanson said. "And again, he gets the golden glove award for another catch. That's fantastic. We really don't have a good answer now why that's happening. We're going to have to talk about it."

Pressing ahead, Fincke removed panel 13 and nine without incident, reporting that each cover's bolts remained in place.

While that work was going on, Feustel used a nitrogen vent tool to purge an ammonia line used earlier to re-fill the coolant reservoir in the station's left-side outboard solar array. He reported a spray of ammonia ice crystals exiting the vent tool toward the rear of the station, staying well clear to prevent any hitting his spacesuit.

"I saw one piece that looked like it was headed my way, it was headed low, so I can't confirm it actually made contact," he reported. "It went out of my view sort of down past my waist and my legs. That was the only piece that I felt would be worth looking for. The other items were small, probably less than a centimeter in size, flakes, that were headed my way. The one piece that was coming was probably one-and-half centimeters in diameter, maybe a little larger."

Feustel then joined Fincke at the solar alpha rotary joint to begin lubricating the drive gear with Bracote grease.


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