The astronauts were hoping Sunday to have found a solution to run a centerpiece of the machine used to transform urine and condensation water potable, and must allow the International Space Station (ISS) to host up to six people .
Engineers at NASA asked Sunday to the station commander, Michael Fincke, change the way a centrifuge is mounted in the recycling of wastewater, worth $ 154 million (122 million ' euros).
"Fantastic! This is something we can do," said Michael Fincke.
The astronauts worked for three days to operate the machine to get samples to be analyzed back on Earth, but each time it is launching, it does just two hours before passing away .
The recycling of waste water, brought aboard the space shuttle Endeavor a week ago, is essential to achieve the goal of NASA to double from three to six people in 2009 the number of occupants of the ISS.
The flight director Ginger Kerrick said engineers at NASA hoped that the problem was under control, but they were investigating whether six people could live in the space station with a system running two hours each times.
Controllers at NASA had hoped to retrieve water samples produced from 70% to 30% condensation and urine. But given the difficulties, this proportion will remain 90% to 10% condensation and urine. Astronauts will not use the system until a battery of tests has not demonstrated that it is secure.
Officials from NASA have decided not to extend the mission an extra day, astronauts have collected enough samples of water, said Ginger Kerrick. The mission should end on November 29 with the return to Earth Endeavor, after a stay of fifteen days in the international space station.
Engineers at NASA asked Sunday to the station commander, Michael Fincke, change the way a centrifuge is mounted in the recycling of wastewater, worth $ 154 million (122 million ' euros).
"Fantastic! This is something we can do," said Michael Fincke.
The astronauts worked for three days to operate the machine to get samples to be analyzed back on Earth, but each time it is launching, it does just two hours before passing away .
The recycling of waste water, brought aboard the space shuttle Endeavor a week ago, is essential to achieve the goal of NASA to double from three to six people in 2009 the number of occupants of the ISS.
The flight director Ginger Kerrick said engineers at NASA hoped that the problem was under control, but they were investigating whether six people could live in the space station with a system running two hours each times.
Controllers at NASA had hoped to retrieve water samples produced from 70% to 30% condensation and urine. But given the difficulties, this proportion will remain 90% to 10% condensation and urine. Astronauts will not use the system until a battery of tests has not demonstrated that it is secure.
Officials from NASA have decided not to extend the mission an extra day, astronauts have collected enough samples of water, said Ginger Kerrick. The mission should end on November 29 with the return to Earth Endeavor, after a stay of fifteen days in the international space station.
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