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back to article ISS spacewalkers tackle failed cooling pump

International Space Station spacewalkers Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Doug Wheelock earlier today removed the orbiting outpost's failed ammonia pump unit at the second attempt. A first EVA on Saturday to wrest the unit from its mountings on the ISS's S1 truss ended in frustration "due to a leak in the fourth of four ammonia line …

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  1. Sureo
    Alert

    This reminds me...

    ...of the plumbing in my house. Each valve has a secondary to use when maintenance is required. However it is only used once every few years, so it is either stuck, won't close completely, or leaks. Ironic that the ISS suffers from the same problem.

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  2. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Open a jar

    Spacewalkers Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Doug Wheelock.. hmmm..

    "Wheelock was able to close the connector's quick disconnect valve and unhook the assembly from the pump with a combination of a special tool and some good, old-fashioned brute force"

    I'm assuming it was Tracy who tried it on the first day, and handed it over to Doug on the second EVA. You should always get the man in to open any stubborn jam jars etc.

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    1. Andus McCoatover
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      Happens in our place, too!

      OK, I digress, but..

      "You should always get the man in to open any stubborn jam jars etc."

      Trick is to pierce a small hole in the top with a knife. Then it'll open easily. Seal with a bit of selltoape if you haven't consumed the lot.

      Works the same with those dam' vacuum-packed coffee packets that 'her indoors' wakes me from a beer-induced, dole-waiting slumber to open.

      Nowadays, having got a bit older and wiser, I stab the b*astards as soon I see 'em in her shopping bag. Only way I can get some kip 'till lunchtime, dammit.

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  3. Steve Roper

    Brute force in microgravity

    would require some interesting skills. Simply bracing your feet against the truss and yanking would very likely send you off on your own private orbit of Earth via simple Newtonian mechanics once the part came free - you'd want to hope your lifeline didn't snap or come loose! So I wonder exactly how they went about applying brute force without risking launching themselves on a slow track to the moon...

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    1. Tim Spence
      Reply Icon

      Robotic arm

      From what little I've seen, most of these space "walks" are actually done securely attached to the safety of the ISS's robotic arm.

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  4. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    I was told...

    If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer. Simple, would have saved them a second space-walk.

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  5. Jemma
    Boffin

    ...Russian components, American components...

    ... All built in Taiwan... *smack*

    I mean seriously - if all the had to do to the thing was put a little effort in why did they have to faff around with another space walk?

    More to the point it sounds as if there are substantial areas on this space station that don't have effective secondary systems in place...

    I have a thought... why not send all the shuttles up one more time after a multidock has been built and use them as space only transports... mining on the moon and all sorts of other missions could be carried out easily - add a water splitter powered by solar energy and you have almost unlimited cheap fuel from martian ice - add a solar accumulator and you can super refine metals...

    why isnt this station being used more effectively?

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    1. AndyS
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Down

      more to the point...

      ...what?

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      1. moonface
        Reply Icon

        Leaving a space shuttle docked?

        Actually, is leaving a space shuttle permantly docked to the ISS that crazy an idea??

        It might be useful to have a self propelled craft with robotic arm to manipulate future payloads, etc.

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  6. gimbal
    Joke

    Yay! Their secret tribble farm is spared!

    So, once again, our plans can proceed for world domination by sales of Furby-like taxidermically stuffed, singing, talking, pea-soup-spitting Tribbles. Wonderful news!

    Good for the ISS folks, though, seriously.

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  7. Matthew
    Flame

    "demated"

    What the hell's that?

    Disconnected?

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    1. James Hughes 1
      Reply Icon

      again, what?

      Removed?

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    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      FAIL

      What the hell's that?

      merkin speek.

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    3. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      isn't it obvious.

      Male and Female connectors = mating.

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