NASA image of the external use on the ISS. Photo: AFP - Frankfurter Rundschau

21 December 2013

NASA image from the external use on the ISS. Photo: AFP

With flying colors has mastered an astronaut duo a major repair outdoor use on the Space Station. On Monday, the work on the ISS to continue.

with flying colors has mastered an important repair outdoor use on the space station ISS astronauts duo. On Monday, the work on the ISS to continue.

Washington –

Unexpectedly fast two astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have completed their first outdoor use to repair a cooling system on Saturday. After five and a half hours in space – an hour earlier than planned – the returned U.S. astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins on Saturday at 18.29 clock (CET) back on board, as NASA announced. When using them your completed works that were provided for the second spacewalk on Monday.

the astronauts succeeded according to the information to solve the broken ammonia pump.

praise from the Control Panel

Because they were progressing quickly, they could also not remove the pump. This had originally been planned for the second outdoor use on Monday. “Excellent work and very quickly,” a staff member said during the ongoing work in the control of the U.S. space agency NASA in Houston, Texas.

The Japanese astronaut Koichi

Wakata controlled by the ISS from the 15-meter robotic arm that moved Mastracchio and the 350-pound, refrigerator-sized ammonia pump. As Mastracchio grabbed the 350-pound part, he could not see where it was made. With the help Wakatas he could stow the defective pump. On Monday, the new pump is to be used.

For the 53-year Mastracchio it was already the seventh spacewalk, for the 44-year-old Hopkins the first. Thanks cameras on the helmets of astronauts, NASA was able to transfer images of outdoor exposure. NASA had planned up to three outdoor use. The third use would be, if necessary, on Christmas Day.

partial failure of the cooling

The error in the cooling circuit was on 11 December occurred. A repair of the ISS did not work, which is why NASA decided to field operations.

The repair is necessary in order to control the temperature of the air conditioner stable. On the ISS, there is a second cooling circuit is functioning normally. But a system alone is not sufficient to condition the entire ISS. Therefore, cooling had to be stopped in some areas. Are affected by the partial failure of NASA says the Harmony module of the ISS, the Kibo laboratory and the European Columbus laboratory.

NASA always assured that the crew at no time was in danger. However, should occur in the second cooling system fault, the evacuation of the ISS would be necessary. (Afp)