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Station gyro restarted MISSION CONTROL STATUS REPORT Posted: July 2, 2004 The International Space Station (ISS) is again operating with three of its four control gyroscopes, thanks to this week's spacewalk by the Expedition 9 crew. Flight controllers today placed Control Moment Gyroscope #2 (CMG #2) back in full operation along with CMGs #3 and #4. The three CMGs are now controlling the Station's attitude and orientation. During a five-hour, 40-minute spacewalk Wednesday night, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke successfully replaced a failed circuit breaker that provides power to CMG #2. After a slow ramping up of speed over several hours, the newly restored gyroscope reached its normal peak spin rate of 6,600 revolutions per minute yesterday afternoon. Engineers performed further testing overnight to monitor the gyroscope's operation before putting it back in operation this morning. Padalka and Fincke spent today working on post-spacewalk clean-up tasks, including putting away some of the tools they used during their repair job and conducting a follow-up conference with spacewalk specialists. Tomorrow the crewmembers will be back to a normal sleep schedule as they begin a three-day weekend to celebrate the Independence Day holiday. They'll finish up spacewalk close- out tasks next week and work on science experiments, such as the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity. Yesterday, the crew had a short, off-duty day. Also, Russian flight controllers used air from the Progress cargo spacecraft's supply tanks to partially repressurize the orbiting laboratory, replacing air that had been vented overboard to allow the airlock to be opened for Wednesday's spacewalk. The ISS has four CMGs that are designed to control which way the Station is pointed as it orbits the Earth. CMG #1 failed two years ago and will be replaced during the next Space Shuttle mission. CMG #2 was taken off line April 21, but was restored after the spacewalk. The Station's two other CMGs have been working normally. |
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Mission control erupts in applause as communications from Cassini confirm the orbit insertion burn has begun. (60sec file)
Signals from Cassini announce the conclusion of the Saturn orbit insertion burn, confirming the spacecraft has arrived at the ringed planet. (2min 15sec file)
Mission officials hold a post-orbit insertion burn news conference at 1 a.m. EDT July 1 to discuss Cassini's successful arrival at Saturn. (25min 27sec file)
Officials from the U.S., European and Italian space agencies discuss the international cooperation in the Cassini mission and future exploration projects during this news conference from 2 p.m. EDT June 30. (19min 35sec file)
This informal "ring-side chat" from 5 p.m. EDT June 30 discusses the Cassini mission to Saturn and the future of space exploration. (49min 20sec file)