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| International Space Station astronauts hopeful that they have stopped leak | International Space Station astronauts hopeful that they have stopped leak |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Astronauts making a rare, hastily planned spacewalk replaced a pump outside the International Space Station on Saturday in the hope of plugging a serious ammonia leak. | Astronauts making a rare, hastily planned spacewalk replaced a pump outside the International Space Station on Saturday in the hope of plugging a serious ammonia leak. |
| The prospects of success grew as the minutes passed and no frozen flecks of ammonia appeared. Mission control said it appeared as though the leak may have been plugged, although additional monitoring over the coming days, if not weeks, will be needed before declaring a victory. | |
| "No evidence of any ammonia leakage whatsoever. We have an airtight system – at the moment," mission control reported. | "No evidence of any ammonia leakage whatsoever. We have an airtight system – at the moment," mission control reported. |
| Christopher Cassidy and Thomas Marshburn installed the new pump after removing the old one suspected of spewing flakes of frozen ammonia coolant two days earlier. They uncovered no smoking guns responsible for the leak and consequently kept a sharp lookout for any icy flecks that might appear from the massive frame that holds the solar panels on the left side. | Christopher Cassidy and Thomas Marshburn installed the new pump after removing the old one suspected of spewing flakes of frozen ammonia coolant two days earlier. They uncovered no smoking guns responsible for the leak and consequently kept a sharp lookout for any icy flecks that might appear from the massive frame that holds the solar panels on the left side. |
| "Let us know if you see anything," mission control urged as the system was cranked up. Thirty minutes later, all was still well. "No snow," the astronauts radioed. | "Let us know if you see anything," mission control urged as the system was cranked up. Thirty minutes later, all was still well. "No snow," the astronauts radioed. |
| "We have our eyes on it and haven't seen a thing," Marshburn said. | "We have our eyes on it and haven't seen a thing," Marshburn said. |
| Nasa said the leak, while significant, never jeopardised crew safety, but that managers wanted to deal with the trouble now before Marshburn returns to Earth in a few days. | Nasa said the leak, while significant, never jeopardised crew safety, but that managers wanted to deal with the trouble now before Marshburn returns to Earth in a few days. |
| The space agency had never before staged such a fast, impromptu spacewalk for a station crew. Even during the shuttle days, unplanned spacewalks were uncommon. | The space agency had never before staged such a fast, impromptu spacewalk for a station crew. Even during the shuttle days, unplanned spacewalks were uncommon. |
| It was disheartening at first for Nasa as Cassidy and Marshburn reported seeing nothing amiss on or around the old pump. | It was disheartening at first for Nasa as Cassidy and Marshburn reported seeing nothing amiss on or around the old pump. |
| "All the pipes look shiny clean, no crud," Cassidy said as he used a long mirror to peer into tight, deep openings. | "All the pipes look shiny clean, no crud," Cassidy said as he used a long mirror to peer into tight, deep openings. |
| "I can't give you any good data other than nominal, unfortunately. No smoking guns." | "I can't give you any good data other than nominal, unfortunately. No smoking guns." |
| Engineers determined there was nothing to lose by installing a new pump despite the lack of visible damage to the old one. | Engineers determined there was nothing to lose by installing a new pump despite the lack of visible damage to the old one. |
| "Gloved fingers crossed," space station commander Chris Hadfield said in a tweet from inside. "No leaks!" he wrote half an hour later. | "Gloved fingers crossed," space station commander Chris Hadfield said in a tweet from inside. "No leaks!" he wrote half an hour later. |
| Flight controllers in Houston worked furiously to get ready for Saturday's operation, completing all the required preparation in under 48 hours. The astronauts trained for just such an emergency scenario before they rocketed into orbit; the repair job is among Nasa's so-called Big 12. | Flight controllers in Houston worked furiously to get ready for Saturday's operation, completing all the required preparation in under 48 hours. The astronauts trained for just such an emergency scenario before they rocketed into orbit; the repair job is among Nasa's so-called Big 12. |
| The area in question on the space station is prone to leaks. The ammonia coursing through the plumbing is used to cool the space station's electronic equipment. There are eight of these power channels, and all seven others were operating normally. As a result, life for the six space station residents was largely unaffected. | The area in question on the space station is prone to leaks. The ammonia coursing through the plumbing is used to cool the space station's electronic equipment. There are eight of these power channels, and all seven others were operating normally. As a result, life for the six space station residents was largely unaffected. |
| The loss of another power channel, however, could threaten scientific experiments and backup equipment. | The loss of another power channel, however, could threaten scientific experiments and backup equipment. |
| Nasa's space station programme manager Mike Suffredini said they did not know why the leak erupted. Possibilities include a micrometeorite strike or a leaky seal. Ammonia had already been seeping slowly from the location, but it increased dramatically on Thursday. | Nasa's space station programme manager Mike Suffredini said they did not know why the leak erupted. Possibilities include a micrometeorite strike or a leaky seal. Ammonia had already been seeping slowly from the location, but it increased dramatically on Thursday. |
| Marshburn has been on the space station since December and is set to return to Earth late on Monday. Cassidy is a new arrival, on board for just one and a half months. | Marshburn has been on the space station since December and is set to return to Earth late on Monday. Cassidy is a new arrival, on board for just one and a half months. |
| By coincidence, the two had performed a spacewalk at this troublesome spot during a shuttle visit in 2009. | By coincidence, the two had performed a spacewalk at this troublesome spot during a shuttle visit in 2009. |
| "This type of event is what the years of training were for," Hadfield said on Friday. "A happy, busy crew, working hard, loving life in space." | "This type of event is what the years of training were for," Hadfield said on Friday. "A happy, busy crew, working hard, loving life in space." |