Generator Fails on Space Station
The main oxygen generator for the International Space Station has failed, and the two astronauts on board may have to tap into an attached cargo ship’s air supply next week, NASA said Thursday.
The space agency said the astronauts had several backup sources of oxygen and were in no immediate danger.
The generator -- a balky Russian unit that keeps breaking down -- stopped working this week. Normally, air bubbles are to blame, but this time it appeared there was a blockage in a line.
Commander Gennady Padalka is confident he can clear the blockage and get the machine running again, said NASA spokesman Rob Navias.
In the meantime, Padalka took spare parts and installed them in a backup oxygen generator.
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