Well, I wrote my bit before I learned that they were indeed going to use the
OBSS, but I feel that as nobody is really sure about the snag that caused
the tear yet, a range of options will be needed to be on hand. Considring
the array seems to have holes in various places, sounds like some form of
strap could be used. Obviously you want the panel to be as near to flat and
as it was as you can to ensure it gets the sun when in the right attitude.
However, the structural loading is what worries me. If you elect to cut a
snagged wire you may make things worse unless you really know the stress
distribution of a fully deployed array in zero g.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
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"snidely" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Oct 31, 10:18 am, "Brian Gaff" wrote:
[...]
I myself wonder if the obss could be employed toget access to the array
without running the snagging risk implicit in retracting to get at the
damaged section.

Sounds like the new pole in the cargo bay:
-- this from AP via Yahoo http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071031/
ap_on_sc/space_shuttle;

quote
The torn section of the wing cannot be reached with the space
station's 58-foot robot arm. So NASA plans to attach the shuttle
inspection boom to the station's robot arm, and put Scott Parazynski
on the boom to free the snagged part of the wing.

It helps that Parazynski is tall - 6-foot-2 - and has long arms. NASA
doesn't want him bumping the wing or touching its sunlight-collecting
blankets. There would be no need to mend the tears
/quote

/dps