Astronauts complete urgent repairs to data system on ISS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Spacewalking astronauts completed urgent repairs at the International Space Station on Tuesday, replacing equipment that failed three days earlier and restoring a backup for a vital datarelay system.

It took commander Peggy Whitson much longer than expected to install the spare unit. Success finally came after her spacewalking partner, Jack Fischer, blasted the area with nitrogen gas to clear away flecks of metal.

Mission Control noted that the failure occurred 2 days, 21 hours, 38 minutes earlier, “and we are already back in a good position, so excellent work.”

Testing confirmed the new unit worked, restoring full redundancy to the system that operates solar panels, radiators and robotic equipment. The ISS also is home to two Russians and a Frenchman.