Astronauts returned to the ISS, setting a new water pump - RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, December 24 – RIA Novosti. NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins and Richard Mastracchio returned to the International Space Station (ISS) and closed the hatches airlock module “Quest”, successfully completing all tasks in the second output EVA, including installing a new water pump to replace broken on the U.S. segment of the station. Broadcast EVA goes to NASA site.

Hopkins and Mastracchio came Tuesday EVA to December 21 to finish the replacement pump. Extraordinary spacewalks required because one of the valves inside the 350-pound pump module A cooling circuit stopped working. As a result, the contour partially out of order, and specialists had to shut down part of the auxiliary systems of the American segment of the ISS. To remove the pump and replace it with a backup, NASA intends to conduct three spacewalks. During the first exit astronauts removed with regular place on the main farm ISS a broken pump and moved it to a temporary storage area.

box adapter (jumper box) for ammonia hoses

During the second exit astronauts using hand-arm “Canadarm2″ transported a new pump for pumping ammonia and installed it on the outer surface of the U.S. segment of the ISS. Then they hooked up to the new water pump all four ammonia hose and electrical cables, and then successfully carried out the first tests on the new pump.

When installing hoses and ammonia Hopkins Mastracchio not manage to get one of the hoses out of the box-adapter, which is needed to avoid freezing of ammonia in tubes. As a result, the astronauts took him, but resulted from a hose ammonia, ammonia and part of “snowflakes” hit them on their spacesuits. Astronauts brush their suits and at the end of work again rechecked until the end whether suits cleaned up, whether there are particles on ammonia.

NASA representative in the Russian Mission Control Center (MCC), told RIA Novosti that the backlog of EVA was approximately 40 minutes. Initially, this output, which began in 15.53 MSK, was due to last 6.5 hours. The interviewee noted that, since all targets are met, according to preliminary data, the third spacewalk will likely not be required.