Astronauts Revive 2 Experiments Given Up Earlier for Lost
Challenger’s fix-it astronauts revived two experiments that had been given up for lost and started the second half of their science mission today with 13 of 15 research instruments in working order.
The astronauts, following instructions from the ground, brought a complex cosmic ray detector experiment to life by doing some rewiring and reprogramming.
“The crew that launches with broken equipment brings back good equipment,” said pilot Frederick D. Gregory as the device suddenly started giving off signals.
“Oh, boy! That’s fantastic!” yelled J. N. Goswami, who is associated with the Indian-built cosmic ray detector. He was watching the repair from the science control center here.
Just 10 hours earlier, orbiting scientist Taylor Wang repaired a fluid dynamics experiment that also had been dead since the beginning of the flight.
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