spacetoday.net: Cosmonauts get some ISS computers working

Posted: Sat, Jun 16, 2007, 10:11 AM ET (1411 GMT)
Two Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station, working with engineers on the ground, were able to partially restore key computer systems on the Russian segment of the station on Friday. By late Friday two of the three "lanes" in the Central Computer and Terminal Computer systems on the station operating; they had been experiencing problems since shortly after the installation of a new solar power truss segment on the station early this week. The computer systems provide backup attitude control and orbital attitude adjustments for the station. The computers were brought back online after cosmonauts used a shunt to bypass a faulty power switch inside the system. The computer failure had puzzled engineers for days, and NASA had prepared to have the shuttle extend its stay at the ISS if extended repairs were required. Russian officials said Friday they were also considering moving up the launch of a Progress cargo spacecraft several weeks so that spare parts could be sent to the station.