Damage Found During Hookup

Astronauts also prep station for new space lab
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 24, 2007 4:41 PM CST
Damage Found During Hookup
In this image provided by NASA Television, astronaut Dan Tani, right, works on Harmony's fluid tray on the Destiny laboratory during a spacewalk, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007. Astronauts, Peggy Whitson and Tani went on a spacewalk Saturday to finish wiring up the international space station's newest room,...   (Associated Press)

Astronauts found more damage on the International Space Station today as they prepared it to receive a new space laboratory, the Houston Chronicle reports. Astronauts Dan Tani and Peggy Whitson uncovered metal shavings on a joint designed to turn a solar wing: "I would say there is more debris than I saw before," Tani said. The wing has been shut down since September due to unknown mechanical problems.

The seven-hour spacewalk was otherwise a success, as Tani and Wilson routed coolant lines to the Harmony module, enabling it to link to the Columbus lab when it is delivered next month. But repairs will be needed to the solar wing, the Chronicle reports, or NASA will have to stop space station construction after Columbus arrives. (More spacewalk stories.)

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