GO for EVA-4 on monday; landing delayed to Friday

Herb Schaltegger wrote:
Because the arrays are not structurally strong enough to be moved to
the truss without being fully retracted.


"Not designed" doesn't necessarily mean that it cannot do it.

Since the arrays are able to widthstand reboost operations, as well as
the G force resulting from a docking vehicle, couldn't the arm move P6
with g forces that are less than reboots/dockings ?

Wire clippers not WD40.

Pure speculation, couldn't find a drawing.

Sure sounds like the grommets are getting stuck on broken strands of wire
of a wire rope, if that's what grommets are sliding on. Some sailboats
have wire rope halyards. Wire rope is different from wire cable in
that the individual strands of wire within the rope are very thin.
This makes the wire rope very flexible, unlike wire cable. When these
become old, individual wires in the rope will break. The wire rope is
still fine, but if you rub your hand along the rope, you'll make a bloody
mess. The broken wire strands are sharp, stick out a bit and will snag
anything.

Also, sounds like the wire rope is being wound up on the opposite end from
where the solar panels are being folded. The grommets would have to slide
many meters instead of a few centimeters.

Also, if they did you wire rope, they may have just as much trouble
unfolding it because of the other end of the broken strands.

--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @
--

On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 07:57:11+0000, Brian Gaff wrote:

Well, it looks like someone needs to do some work on designing solar array
mechanisms..: I mean if you have to stand over them after 6 years and wiggle
them every so often to get them to not stick then...:-)

I hope someone has a plan of exactly what can be done in future, as there is
another array they will need to stow before moving the truss, I think.

Send out a can of WD40? :-)

Brian

Wire clippers not WD40. Preferably fingernail clippers.

Pure speculation, couldn't find a drawing.

Sure sounds like the grommets are getting stuck on broken strands of wire
of a wire rope, if that's what grommets are sliding on. Some sailboats
have wire rope halyards. Wire rope is different from wire cable in
that the individual strands of wire within the rope are very thin.
This makes the wire rope very flexible, unlike wire cable. When these
become old, individual wires in the rope will break. The wire rope is
still fine, but if you rub your hand along the rope, you'll make a bloody
mess. The broken wire strands are sharp, stick out a bit and will snag
anything.

Also, sounds like the wire rope is being wound up on the opposite end from
where the solar panels are being folded. The grommets would have to slide
many meters instead of a few centimeters.

Also, if they did you wire rope, they may have just as much trouble
unfolding it because of the other end of the broken strands.

--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @
--

On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 07:57:11+0000, Brian Gaff wrote:

Well, it looks like someone needs to do some work on designing solar array
mechanisms..: I mean if you have to stand over them after 6 years and wiggle
them every so often to get them to not stick then...:-)

I hope someone has a plan of exactly what can be done in future, as there is
another array they will need to stow before moving the truss, I think.

Send out a can of WD40? :-)

Brian


--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @

On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 23:38:15 -0500, John Doe wrote:

Since the arrays are able to widthstand reboost operations, as well as
the G force resulting from a docking vehicle, couldn't the arm move P6
with g forces that are less than reboots/dockings ?

Yeah, I agree with you, but they would be awkward to move that way and
clearances might be a problem.

Pours third cup of coffee, morning fog begins to lift

Wire clippers not WD40. Preferably fingernail clippers.

Pure speculation, couldn't find a drawing.

Sure sounds like the grommets are getting stuck on broken strands of wire
of a wire rope, if that's what the grommets are sliding on. Some sailboats
have wire rope halyards. Wire rope is different from wire cable in that
the individual strands of wire within the rope are very thin. This makes
the wire rope very flexible, unlike wire cable. When these become old,
individual wires in the rope will break. The wire rope is still fine, but
if you rub your hand along the rope, you'll make a bloody mess. The broken
wire strands are sharp, stick out a bit and will snag anything.

Also, sounds like the wire rope is being wound up on the opposite end from
where the solar panels are being folded. The grommets would have to slide
many meters instead of a few centimeters.

Also, if they did use wire rope, they may have just as much trouble
unfolding it because of the other end of the broken strands.

--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @
--

On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 07:57:11+0000, Brian Gaff wrote:

Well, it looks like someone needs to do some work on designing solar array
mechanisms..: I mean if you have to stand over them after 6 years and wiggle
them every so often to get them to not stick then...:-)

I hope someone has a plan of exactly what can be done in future, as there is
another array they will need to stow before moving the truss, I think.

Send out a can of WD40? :-)

Brian


--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @

Seems it was wire rope, 3 cords of 7 strands of wire (total 21). Two
strands of wire were broken, I would think by an impact. I wonder how much
trouble they'll have extending them again, and if plans will change to
have astronauts assist opening and closing of arrays.

--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @
--

On Mon, 18 Dec 2006 13:39:59+0000, Craig Fink wrote:

Pours third cup of coffee, morning fog begins to lift

Wire clippers not WD40. Preferably fingernail clippers.

Pure speculation, couldn't find a drawing.

Sure sounds like the grommets are getting stuck on broken strands of wire
of a wire rope, if that's what the grommets are sliding on. Some sailboats
have wire rope halyards. Wire rope is different from wire cable in that
the individual strands of wire within the rope are very thin. This makes
the wire rope very flexible, unlike wire cable. When these become old,
individual wires in the rope will break. The wire rope is still fine, but
if you rub your hand along the rope, you'll make a bloody mess. The broken
wire strands are sharp, stick out a bit and will snag anything.

Also, sounds like the wire rope is being wound up on the opposite end from
where the solar panels are being folded. The grommets would have to slide
many meters instead of a few centimeters.

Also, if they did use wire rope, they may have just as much trouble
unfolding it because of the other end of the broken strands.

--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @
--

On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 07:57:11+0000, Brian Gaff wrote:

Well, it looks like someone needs to do some work on designing solar array
mechanisms..: I mean if you have to stand over them after 6 years and wiggle
them every so often to get them to not stick then...:-)

I hope someone has a plan of exactly what can be done in future, as there is
another array they will need to stow before moving the truss, I think.

Send out a can of WD40? :-)

Brian

Kind of makes me wonder why they didn't coat the wire rope with teflon to
keep the broken strands in place. Especially, after the MIR incident.

Also, sounds like the US space suits have no grounding wire on them, they
sure seemed to be afraid to touch the wire rope for some strange reason.

Birds that fly, do it all the time.

--
Craig Fink
Courtesy E-Mail Welcome @
--


On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:25:48 +0000, Craig Fink wrote:

Seems it was wire rope, 3 cords of 7 strands of wire (total 21). Two
strands of wire were broken, I would think by an impact. I wonder how much
trouble they'll have extending them again, and if plans will change to
have astronauts assist opening and closing of arrays.

Wire clippers not WD40. Preferably fingernail clippers.

Pure speculation, couldn't find a drawing.

Sure sounds like the grommets are getting stuck on broken strands of wire
of a wire rope, if that's what the grommets are sliding on. Some sailboats
have wire rope halyards. Wire rope is different from wire cable in that
the individual strands of wire within the rope are very thin. This makes
the wire rope very flexible, unlike wire cable. When these become old,
individual wires in the rope will break. The wire rope is still fine, but
if you rub your hand along the rope, you'll make a bloody mess. The broken
wire strands are sharp, stick out a bit and will snag anything.

Also, sounds like the wire rope is being wound up on the opposite end from
where the solar panels are being folded. The grommets would have to slide
many meters instead of a few centimeters.

Also, if they did use wire rope, they may have just as much trouble
unfolding it because of the other end of the broken strands.

On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 07:57:11+0000, Brian Gaff wrote:
Well, it looks like someone needs to do some work on designing solar array
mechanisms..: I mean if you have to stand over them after 6 years and wiggle
them every so often to get them to not stick then...:-)

I hope someone has a plan of exactly what can be done in future, as there is
another array they will need to stow before moving the truss, I think.

Send out a can of WD40? :-)