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By The Associated Press
A major power shortage at the International Space Station has delayed SpaceX's supply this week.
SpaceX was supposed to launch an expedition Wednesday. But an old power switch unit malfunctioned Monday at the space station and disabled two power channels. The remaining six power channels are operating normally, according to NASA.
NASA said Tuesday that the station and its six astronauts were safe. But because of the crowded solar power grid, the launch of SpaceX is suspended until at least Friday. NASA wants to replace the failed unit to restore power, before sending the SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule.
The failure left the station's large robot arm outside with a functional power channel instead of two. Two power sources are needed – one in backup – when the robot's arm is used to capture a visiting spacecraft like the Dragon.
Flight Controllers will use the robot arm to replace the bad unit with a rescue unit later this week, which will prevent astronauts from going out during spacewalk.
Nothing is urgent for this delivery. Northrop Grumman launched supplies two weeks ago.
The solar wings collect and produce electricity for the entire space station. Failure of this critical system can disrupt power and affect operations.
For its part, SpaceX is still studying the loss of its new Dragon capsule designed for astronauts this month.
Six weeks after a successful unmanned test flight to the space station, the Dragon crew was ravaged by flames during a ground test. SpaceX was pulling the thrusters from the capsule on a test stand. The accident of April 20 – occurred just before or during the firing of the abortion thrusters – threw a thick smoke into the sky.
SpaceX and NASA offered little details. But the accident will definitely delay the launch of a Dragon crew with two NASA astronauts on board. SpaceX was on a flight in the summer.
The company has yet to perform a launch abandonment test before the astronauts attach to it. The Dragon who flew last month was to be used for this test in June.
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