Spacesuit Repair Tools Enroute to ISS – UPDATE
UPDATE: The Progress spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS at 10:26 pm EDT as scheduled.
NASA is still trying to determine what when wrong with Luca Parmitano’s spacesuit, but tools to repair it are on their way to the International Space Station (ISS) this afternoon on a Russian cargo spacecraft.
Progress M-20M lifted off as scheduled today, July 27, at 4:45 pm Eastern Daylight Time (2:45 am July 28 local time at the launch site in Kazakhstan). It is using the expedited four-orbit trajectory to reach ISS and will dock at 10:26 pm EDT tonight.
European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Parmitano, often referred to simply as Luca, was on a spacewalk with NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy on July 16 when his helmet mysteriously filled with water. A NASA engineering team and a separate mishap investigation board continue to troubleshoot the problem with the help of the ISS astronauts.
The cargo spacecraft, designated Progress 52 by NASA because it is the 52nd Progress to visit ISS, is carrying 1,212 pounds of propellant, 42 pounds of oxygen, 62 pounds of air, 926 pounds of water, and 3,395 pounds of spare parts, including tools that could be used to repair the spacesuit. NASA was not specific about what the spacesuit repair tools are.
NASA TV will cover the docking live tonight.
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