Two ISS Computers Back Online, Soyuz May Dock MondayTwo of the computers at the International Space State (ISS) which had been malfunctioning have now been brought back on-line, allowing astronauts at the station to carry out a maneuver using the station's robotic arm, NASA said Saturday.The software problems experienced since Wednesday by three computers --two back-up computers, and the primary computer on the ISS -- caused delays in the work schedule of the team of astronauts, and created uncertainty around the trip to the station of U.S. businessman Dennis Tito, the world's first paying space tourist. Tito took off Saturday, as planned, aboard the Russian rocket Soyuz. The problems with the primary computer were resolved Friday, and with one of the back up computers now also on-line, it was expected that on Sunday the U.S. space shuttle Endeavor should be able to undock from the space station, a spokesman for NASA told AFP. That would allow the new Soyuz spacecraft, with Tito on board, to dock with the station early Monday, the spokesman said. |
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