LOL, I was hoping someone would come up with a good Windoze joke.

Steve, good thinking on the baby monitor mystery. I wonder if they’ll do a follow up when they figure it out.

“Next Exit – Palpatine. If you do not turn, you will be destroyed.”

2) A computer glitch on the International Space Station is causing major trouble. Installation of the new solar panels evidently set off some sort of software or hardware bug, and the guidance gyros (among other utilities) on the station aren’t working. Atlantis is being used for attitude control. NASA says this is fixable, and they’re working on it.

“Windows has detected your new hardware and is now installing the drivers for it.”

It’s not a question of ‘stickiness’ per se. The adhesives found in duct tape are made from aromatic hydrocarbon compounds, and tend to boil off rather quickly in zero pressure.

The tape might go on sticky, but it would not last more than an hour or so. What would be needed would probably a 2-part epoxy, I would want one with glass or carbon fibers as an additional stiffener.

Ah well, I’m sure they’ll figure it out soon. Nice to know they actually have some trouble shooting equipment aboard. Probably wouldn’t be there if there were no humans aboard(positive comment for live folk in space,,,).

Gary 7

What I think they are most worried about is when the shuttle undocks next week, it will give a little shove back to the station, and it may be more then the gyros can cope with without the help of the Zarya thrusters. They are looking at a bunch of alternatives, such as using the thrusters on the Progress supply ship (currently docked to the station) if they can’t fix the computers.

I think they have one or two of the computers back up, but not working completely or maybe it keeps crashing, or something, and they suspect its a power supply problem or maybe ground loops. The problems seemed to start when they attacthed the new truss segment, but before they actually connected the power cables from the new solar arrays. They’re supposed to look at it with an oscilloscope. (Glad to know they’ve got one on board, some EE must have insisted!)

The ISS *does* rotate. One per every time it revolves, if things are working properly.

But in any case, it’s not a fixed platform. Keeping rotation at exactly zero (or exactly any figure) in free space is quite challenging.

Ironically, in another article on this, the mother’s occupation was listed as “science teacher”.

How can a construct that doesn’t even rotate be so dang difficult to keep pointing at the sun? Sheesh! I still remember Mir. Didn’t it have to use rockets to keep its solar cells properly oriented? Maybe we’ve found a new crud job for Mexicans to do.
Wanted: One illegal immigrant to stay outside the ISS and keep the solar cells pointed at the sun. Hazard pay will be given for sterility incurred by hard radiation.

OK, maybe I’ve been watching too much Steven Colbert,,,

GAry 7

Fancy that.

I know the ISS’s attitude needs to be controlled as much as anything, but I’m pretty sure you meant to say altitude control.

Or maybe you did mean attitude and I’m just a douche.

Only time will tell.

Altitude is how high the thing is off the earth. That needs to be controlled, but not nearly as much as you might think.

Attitude is the orientation of the thing in space. That needs to be controlled a lot, lest the solar panels get pointed away from the sun or the thing starts to tumble or whatever.

if you already knew that and I’m being pedantic, chalk it up to my being short on coffee at the moment

Or maybe you did mean attitude and I’m just a douche.

Only time will tell.