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The unexpected tilt of the International Space Station yesterday was caused by a software glitch, according to the Russian space agency Roscosmos.
A new Russian module called Nauka arrived at the space station Thursday morning (July 29). In development for more than a decade, Nauka is designed to host science experiments, anchor tour vehicles and serve as a gateway for spacewalks. However, as the module’s arrival appeared to have gone smoothly, approximately three hours after docking, the module suddenly began firing its thrusters in an incident that knocked the space station from its usual position. for about 45 minutes in what engineers call a “loss of attitude control.”
“Due to a short-term software failure, a direct command was mistakenly implemented to turn on the module motors for removal, resulting in some change in the orientation of the complex as a whole,” Roscosmos officials wrote in a statement on Friday. (July 30).
Related: Russian Nauka module briefly tilts space station with unexpected thruster fire
“At the moment, the station is in its normal orientation, all ISS [International Space Station] and the versatile laboratory module [Nauka] the systems are functioning normally, ”Roscomsos officials noted. “The crew is now busy balancing the pressure in the Nauka module. This is quite a long procedure, since the total volume of the module is about 70 cubic meters. In the afternoon, the crew will open the hatches, enter the module, activate the means necessary to purify the atmosphere and begin normal regular work. “
Currently, cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrovnik represent Russia on the orbiting laboratory. The pair were preparing to open the twin hatches between Nauka and the rest of the station yesterday when the module’s thrusters started firing, pushing and tilting the space station until the thrusters on the service module. Russian Zvedza and the Russian Progress 78 freighter were able to counter the hiccups.
Novitsky and Dubrovnik resumed preparations for opening the hatch today. In the long term, the module will also require a series of 11 spacewalks to fully prepare for its duties, according to NASA spokesman Rob Navias during a live broadcast of the Nauka docking. The two cosmonauts will begin these procedures in early September.
In response to the loss of attitude control, NASA canceled the remaining planned astronaut activities and postponed the launch of Boeing’s Starliner unmanned test flight, OFT-2, which was scheduled to take off to the space station today. ‘hui. The launch will now take place no earlier than Tuesday (August 3).
Email Meghan Bartels at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels. follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
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