NASA: repair the cooling system of the ISS ... - Generation NT

astronauts aboard the ISS and spend part of Christmas Eve outside the station, NASA coming to formalize three outputs to the repair of damage that affects the cooling system since last week.

Since last week, the failure had led NASA astronauts aboard the station to turn off all non-essential systems and limit the experiences instruments seek the most cooling systems of the station. The space agency announced that the failure did not threaten the lives of astronauts immediately, but it could become critical if the repairs were not possible quickly enough.

Meanwhile

isolate the fault, some circuits had been redirected to a secondary system. Now, the two astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Michael Hopkins will be responsible for repairs to the exterior of the station, either replace the defective valve pump at three outputs that will take place this Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Given the timing of these outputs, the launch of the Orbital Science Cygnus mission was rejected, the modulus of the private station should not be launched before January 13 next at least. Since the ship was carrying a set of food and necessary for the ISS crew instruments, as saying that the astronauts will definitively resolve the breakdown on the three days granted to them.

Initially, NASA had planned to allow the launch of Cygnus capsule aboard an Antares rocket, the module can dock with the station without the valve is replaced today decision was taken to postpone the launch to prevent any worsening of the problem.

late arrival of Cygnus, which was to secure this week at the station, also implies that the astronauts will have to wait to receive their Christmas gifts. However, Rick Mastracchio reassures saying conditions have “but very comfortable” in the station.

However

scheduled release Monday upsides for the astronaut, used for sharing pictures of the Earth from space on Twitter, who told the press that the opportunity will be ideal to finally identify the Santa, proof that morale is still good in the station despite the technical incident.