Posted: Mon, Feb 4, 2002, 1:26 PM ET (1826 GMT)
A computer problem on the International Space Station Monday caused the station to lose some power, although NASA officials say the problem is temporary and already being corrected. The central computer in the Russian segment of the station stopped working Monday morning, according to the Associated Press. Although the cause of the failure was not known, ground controllers were able to restart the computer. However, the failure caused other systems to shut down temporarily, including those that control the movement of the station’s solar panels so they can track the Sun. With those systems offline the station’s electrical generating capacity was reduced, requiring the Expedition Four crew to shut down some secondary systems. While the central computer has been restarted, the AP reported that it may take several hours before it is fully functional.

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•  AP article