EVA aborted, then restarted
Jim Oberg
behind the 'nominal timeline' but will
attempt to complete all planned tasks.
This morning a configuration error in the
Quest airlock required the airlock depressurization
to be aborted, the airlock refilled with air,
and the interior hatch opened to allow Tokarev
to go back inside the main module and reset a
switch (a third crewman on board would have
made this move unnecessary).
Anyhow, this first US EVA in 30 months or so
will go a long way to restoring in-depth EVA
capabilities, always a good thing (the principle we are
learning seems to be that two parallel but independent
capabilities are much more 'robust' than one single
unified system, whether for EVA or life support or
crew access or comm -- a valuable lesson from ISS).
Good luck, Exp-12 spacewalkers! Enjoy the view!
See this great real-time logbook below:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/station/exp12/status.html
BY JUSTIN RAY
Follow the Expedition 12 crew's first spacewalk outside the U.S. segment
of the International Space Station. Reload this page for updates.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2005
1501 GMT (10:01 a.m. EDT)
Depressurization is underway again.
1457 GMT (9:57 a.m. EDT)
Tokarev did find the valve setting mis-configured. It has been fixed, and
the airlock hatch is being closed again for today's second attempt to begin
the spacewalk.
1454 GMT (9:54 a.m. EDT)
The airlock is back at full pressure. The crew is preparing to reopen the
hatch between the airlock and the station to examine a valve setting.
1449 GMT (9:49 a.m. EDT)
Airlock repressurization has begun.
1446 GMT (9:46 a.m. EDT)
Mission Control says the airlock must be repressurized so that the crew can
manually reposition a valve back inside the space station.
1445 GMT (9:45 a.m. EDT)
That test to cycle the airlock valve needed to finish the depressurization
did not succeed.
1441 GMT (9:41 a.m. EDT)
Flight controllers in Houston are not seeing the final 2 psi being
depressurized from the airlock. A valve in the airlock is being tested to
determine what is causing the snag.
1420 GMT (9:20 a.m. EDT)
The pressure level has dropped from 14.7 to 5 psi. The depressurization is
holding at this point while the crew performs a routine leak check of the
spacesuits before continuing down to vacuum.
1410 GMT (9:10 a.m. EDT)
Depressurization of the airlock has begun.
Scott J
"Jim Oberg" <james...@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:TfKbf.74477$Bf7....@tornado.texas.rr.com...
>
> Anyhow, this first US EVA in 30 months or so
> will go a long way to restoring in-depth EVA
> capabilities, always a good thing (the principle we are
> learning seems to be that two parallel but independent
> capabilities are much more 'robust' than one single
> unified system, whether for EVA or life support or
> crew access or comm -- a valuable lesson from ISS).
> Good luck, Exp-12 spacewalkers! Enjoy the view!
>
>
Did anyone else notice that language seemed to be an issue during the EVA?
snidely
EST (2106 GMT) for opening the hatch into the inner compartment, but
hasn't updated to show when back in the main modules.
/dps
Jim Oberg
"Scott J" <sco...@bellsouth.net> wrote
> Did anyone else notice that language seemed to be an issue during the EVA?
Boy, did it -- and Billymac seemed to have to explain everything to an
8-year-old.
Scott J
> Boy, did it -- and Billymac seemed to have to explain everything to an
> 8-year-old.
>
>
I thought the Capcom was going to go into vapor lock trying to get the WVS
shot of the experiment after the FPP jettison.
At the end, after they both finally agreed they were OK to do a get ahead
task, it seemed they suddenly changed direction and headed for the airlock.
Maybe I missed something there, my recording cut off at that point.
Do U.S. astronauts have similar problems with EVAs on the Russian segment?
I love the way the PAO commentary just glosses over this even though it's
obviously a problem.
Anthony Frost
"Jim Oberg" <james...@houston.rr.com> wrote:
From the sections I heard it sounded like all the native english
speakers were talking too fast a lot of the time, and using too many
slang terms and colloquialisms rather than focussing on clarity. If I'd
been talked to like Valery was at times there'd be a slapping
administered when we were back inside.
Anthony