Solar Storm Not Powerful Enough To Prevent EVA

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 12.14.06 16:00 EST: A forecast solar storm didn't prevent today's EVA. Astronauts Robert Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang are working to move a set of power cables from a temporary solar panel to a permenant, rotating solar array installed last September.

Early fears a solar storm might make the weather outside too frightful proved unfounded. Solar storms are rated on a scale from S1 to S5, with S5 being the most violent and dangerous. Today's storm was downgraded to S2 and flight surgeons gave a thumbs up for the EVA.

Keep checking back to ANN for further updates on today's ISS activities.

PREVIOUS REPORTS

09:00 EST: Like Tool Time's Tim Taylor, NASA is unhappy with the power output of the US side of the ISS power system, so it's going to rewire it! Today crews are set to move a set of primary power cables from a temporary solar panel astronauts tried to retract yesterday to a new $372 million array installed in September.

The temporary panel was an interim power solution for the US side of the ISS. It provided a limited amount of power for crew operations and ISS expansion activities. The new array is one of four planned for installation on the ISS. Once fully operational, it's hoped the new arrays will meet all future ISS power needs for the US side.

Astronauts worked yesterday for six hours to retract the temporary panel and make room for the new array which will rotate as it self-orients to the Sun to maximize energy colllection.

The old panel developed kinks in some of the panel sections (see above) during the retraction procedure. Slack guide wires halted repeated attempts to extend and retract the panel -- an effort by the crew to work out the kinks. Eventually the crew left the panel partially extended, but far enough out of the way to clear the new array.

Station commander Michael Lopez-Alegria said, "It just wasn't going to work for us today. But that stuff happens, and I'm sure we'll get through it."

NASA says the new array is rotating as designed and tracking the Sun today.

NASA engineers say the old panel is structurally stable and poses no danger to any other ISS systems as it sits. Options in dealing with the recalcitrant panel include further attempts with the remote retraction system, another spacewalk by Expedition 14 astronauts after Discovery departs or the agency may decide to simply jettison the thing.

Astronauts Robert Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang are again the lucky winners for today's spacewalk lottery -- they'll get a view much like that in the above photo. On Tuesday they installed the new truss section carried aloft by Discovery.

Today, as they rewire the power cables, the US half of the ISS will power down all non-critical systems. Systems that cannot be powered down such as the computers will be temporarily wired to the station's other power system.

Of concern to NASA engineers as they make the decision to EVA today is another forecast solar storm to hit at around 13:00 EST. Astronauts spent overnight Tuesday in protected areas of the station after an earlier storm caused concern with NASA doctors. It's unclear how or if today's forecast storm will affect today's EVA decision.

The spacewalk is scheduled for 15:00 EST and NASA hasn't yet given the go ahead.

FMI: www.nasa.gov