Tests Show Spacewalk Paid Off

A newly reactivated gyroscope on the International Space Station today was successfully brought on line for attitude control at 6:20 a.m. CDT. The Control Moment Gyroscope 2 was fully operational at 6,600 revolutions per minute Thursday afternoon after being powered back on as a result of this week’s spacewalk. Testing overnight proved its operation adequate for orientation control.

Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer and NASA ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke replaced a failed circuit breaker providing power to the gyroscope during a 5-hour, 40-minute spacewalk Wednesday. The gyroscope now joins two others in controlling the Station’s orientation during normal operations.

Today the crew completed clean-up tasks for the spacewalk, including hanging the Russian Orlan-M spacesuits out to dry, stowing tools and conducting a follow-up conference with spacewalk specialists. Tomorrow the sleep shift schedule for the crewmembers will be back to normal as they begin a three-day weekend to commemorate the US Independence Day holiday Monday. The crew will finish up spacewalk close out tasks next week and is scheduled to work on science experiments, such as the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity.

FMI: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov