Harmony Hook Up Planned For Tuesday

NASA has determined a report of a smoke-like smell from a Russian cosmonaut testing his spacesuit on the ground last week was an isolated case, and shouldn't pose a problem for upcoming spacewalks at the International Space Station.

As ANN reported, rookie Mikhail Korniyenko, 47, also reported "heat behind his neck," coming from the suit's backpack-mounted life-support system during a November 9 training exercise.

The test was quickly aborted, and the cosmonaut was hauled to safety as technicians retrieved the suspect backpack. NASA briefly banned all further spacewalks, as it investigated the matter.

While engineers could not duplicate the problem reported by Korniyenko, they believe the most likely source of the odor was a canister containing a metal oxide. The non-toxic chemical is used to absorb carbon dioxide breathed out by astronauts during spacewalks.

"There was no indication of combustion or an electrical event," NASA spokeswoman Lynette Madison told The Associated Press, after restrictions on spacewalks were lifted Thursday afternoon. "We've been cleared to conduct spacewalks."

That's good news for the crew onboard the ISS, as well as mission planners on the ground. Next week, Expedition 16 commander Peggy Whitson and astronaut Daniel Tani are scheduled to conduct the final two spacewalks needed to connect the recently-installed Harmony module to the ISS, ahead of December's mission of the shuttle Atlantis to the station.

NASA says the first six-hour, 40-minute spacewalk planned for next week will begin the external outfitting of the Harmony node in its new position in front of the US laboratory Destiny. The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 0500 EST Tuesday.

A second spacewalk will wrap up external power hookups on November 24.

FMI: www.nasa.gov