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Lost in Space: Russian Gear, US Paperwork

Posted on: Wednesday, 22 March 2006, 16:50 CST

By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Lost chemical canisters and some suspect handrails will prevent astronauts on the International Space Station from doing any spacewalking in the near future, a NASA manager said on Wednesday.

There were no spacewalks planned until July, but anything unexpected that required a spacewalk will have to wait until the problems are resolved.

Spacewalks from the Russian side of the orbiting research outpost have been ruled out until the station astronauts find lost chemical canisters that remove deadly carbon dioxide from the life-support systems of their spacesuits.

"Either we'll find them, or we'll launch more," said Kirk Shireman, NASA's deputy space station program manager.

The next resupply ship is slated to fly to the station in late April. Extra canisters of lithium hydroxide will be aboard, Shireman said.

Spacewalks from the U.S. side are banned as well due to concerns that handrails attached to the outside of the station may be faulty. Spacewalkers use the rails to anchor their safety tethers and other gear.

Engineers found that handrails used for training on the ground showed unusual degradation. They discovered a manufacturing flaw traced to overheating that may have weakened the metal rails, Shireman said.

NASA does not know if the rails aboard the station have the same problem because it can't find the paperwork.

"The concern arose about a month ago when we saw some evidence that the handrails weren't as they should be," Shireman said. "I can't trace it (the paperwork), so we are (treating) all as suspect."

Results of strength tests on the suspect rails were to be presented to NASA managers on Thursday during a meeting to review flight preparations for the next station crew.

Cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov and NASA flight engineer Jeffrey Williams were scheduled to launch on March 29 for a six-month stint in orbit. Two spacewalks were planned during their mission.

Vinogradov and Williams will be joined aboard their Russian Soyuz spacecraft by Brazilian astronaut Marcos Pontes, who is scheduled to spend eight days doing research aboard the station before flying home with the current station crew, Bill McArthur and Valery Tokarev.

Source: REUTERS

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