ISS Releases Baby Sputnik

illumina+us writes "CNN is running an article about the recent space walk taken by the personnel of the International Space Station. On today's walk the two astronauts 'carried out a 1-foot-long, 11-pound satellite called Nanosputnik, designed for experimental maneuvering by ground controllers.'" The article also has some tidbits on the ISS's gyroscope problems and how the thrusters used to compensate have caused problems for spacewalks in the past.

Comments

Sound Idea

[filmmaker]

Each time, Russian thrusters have to take over, potentially exposing the crew to toxic fuel. This time, flight controllers were careful not to fire the thrusters until the spacewalkers were at a safe distance.

That's probably a sound idea. Definitely pin that up next to "Use either Metric or Imperial units consistently throughout."

Re:Sound Idea

[lxs]

If only the crew could wear some kind of air tight suits during the spacewalk, then it wouldn't be a problem.

Re:Sound Idea

[igny]

'carried out a 1- foot-long, 1-pound satellite called Nano-sputnik,

"Use either Metric or Imperial units consistently throughout."

I think, lack of consistency is evident.

Re:Sound Idea

[orac2]

Your prize for asking that rare gem, a perceptive question on /., deserves to be rewarded by a (hopefully) informative answer:

Jim Oberg has a good analysis of the problem in an article on an earlier thruster incideny. In summary, a "mystery force" is being applied to the station during spacewalks which torques it and overloads the gyroscopes normally used to maintain attitude control. The Russians think it may be a small leak from the airlock, NASA is leaning more towards venting from the spacesuits.

Awe. Its so cute.

[Anonymous Coward]

Have you started a college savings program for it yet

Toxic ??

[Sperryfreak01]

Exposing the crew to toxic fuel I thought they were in space suits, they only thing toxic they should be exposed to is if one of them had the three bean salad for dinner

Re:Toxic ??

[TheKidWho]

Umm, the fuel gets on the suits and once they get back into the station the stuff on the suits you know gets into the air?!?! Russian Rocket fuel is nasty stuff that you don't want to be breathing in or touching.

Holy bejeezuz you might actually have to think for a second like the guys at NASA/Russian Space Agency do!

More coverage

[Cyclotron_Boy]

Here's a little more information about TEKh-42 (the technical name). Quote:

[Purpose of Nanosputnik is to support development of satellite control techniques, monitoring of satellite operations, and research on new attitude system sensors and other components.]

Also, space.com has an article mentioning it.

I'm surprised there isn't more coverage. It is a little reminiscent of the latter days of the Apollo program when there was little/no coverage on the press, or to a greater extent the latter days of SpaceLab.

-F

Space shuttle should carry one of these

[G4from128k]

A refined version of this would be a good tool for the space shuttle for exterior inspection without requiring a space walk. A small robotic webcam could peruse the wings for damage and relay video to the shuttle or ground crew. And at 11 pounds (less if they create a mini-version), the impact on the mass budget is not too bad.

Re:GPS

[FatAlb3rt]

the altitude is not the issue, the speed is. gps is only used until they're within a couple kilometers of docking, then onboard sensors determine relative distances.

Re:Nanosputnik

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

Actually the Emacsputnik is a lot better, but they couldn't even lift it off the ground...

Conversation

[Chemisor]

Astronaut 1: Oops. I think I just dropped our navigation module.
Houston: No problem. We'll just call it "nanosputnik" and everyone will think you did it because we told you to.