A planned reactivation maneuver by the International Space Station ended after only 5 seconds for reasons currently unknown.
Cargo ships docked at the International Space Station regularly turn on their propellers in short bursts to keep the lab in orbit at its cruising altitude. These vehicles are usually Russian progress capsules, but on Monday (June 20), a Northrop Grumman Cygnus vehicle was scheduled to complete a five-minute burn to assess whether the capsule is ready to take on this task on a regular basis.
The engine started firing at 11:20 am EDT (1520 GMT) but shut down after only five seconds, according to a NASA statement (opens in a new tab). Northrop Grumman is not yet sure what caused the abortion, the agency noted.
The agency stressed that the error is not a problem for the seven astronauts living and working on the International Space Station. “The crew of Expedition 67, which was never in danger, continues with its usual work regime aboard the complex, which orbits about 260 miles. [418 kilometers] above the Earth, “officials wrote.
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Today’s maneuver was originally scheduled for Saturday (June 18), but was delayed after a Progress capsule docked in the orbiting lab made a 4.5-minute push on Thursday (June 16). to make sure the station avoided a piece of rubble. .
Scientists estimated that the debris, probably a remnant of Russia’s November 2021 anti-satellite test, could have approached 0.8 km (0.5 miles) from the station without the protective maneuver. .
The currently orbiting Cygnus capsule arrived in the laboratory in February. Astronauts have been packing the vehicle with rubbish before its planned destruction into Earth’s atmosphere later this month. But before that happens, NASA wants to mark the reactivation attempt, which wants to become a standard practice for Cygnus vehicles.
“NASA and Northrop Grumman flight controllers are reviewing data from today’s attempt and will develop a plan for the next steps needed to continue the development of this enhanced capability as a standard service for NASA.” wrote agency officials in today’s statement.
Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels (opens in a new tab). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in a new tab) and on Facebook (opens in a new tab).