Int'l Space Station oxygen generator fails: "140 days of air on board"

[rainbow4321]

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ft_exp11_elektron_050514.html


A balky Russian oxygen generator broke down on the International Space Station, but its two-man crew has a reserve air supply that would last about five months, NASA officials said Friday.

The station's primary generator, which has been operating in an on-again, off-again fashion for months, stopped working last week and the station's crew has not been able to fix it.

Mission managers say the unit has failed for good. Consequently, Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev and U.S. astronaut John Phillips will be relying on reserves until replacement parts arrive at the station in late August.

As it stands, oxygen supplies in a Progress cargo carrier now at the outpost will last until May 22 or May 23. The crew also is equipped with oxygen generators that work like drop-down emergency air supplies on commercial airliners. Supplies from those would last until early July. Beyond that, there is a 100-day oxygen supply in tanks attached to the station U.S. Quest airlock. Total air supply now onboard: About 140 days.

[Up2Late]

1. Wow, That sucks.

I wonder how big and heavy a replacement or spare is?:hangover:

[cestpaspossible]

2. Yikes

Sergei and John are not celebrating tonight. An oxygen generator definitely sounds like something you want to have around while you are living in orbit.

[Mojorabbit]

3. I don't know how they do it

I am so claustrophobic and to imagine knowing there is a problem with the o2 would freak me out. Definitely not meant to be an astronaut!

[benburch]

4. They can bail out home with nearly zero notice.

Into the Soyuz, undock, wait for the right time, fire the retros.... Next thing you know you are on the Steppes of Kazakhstan.

But if they do that, the Space Station is toast.

[whistle]

5. Was that oxygen generator made in America?

[Selatius]

6. Does it matter?

Russian components, American components--all made in China.