Circuit breaker on space station fails -- again

Published: Mar 18, 2005
Source: www.cnn.com



CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) -- For the second time in just under a year, a circuit breaker failed on the international space station Wednesday, shutting down one of the gyroscopes needed to keep the orbiting outpost steady and pointed in the right position.

Despite the early-morning breakdown, the space station continued to cruise along smoothly in orbit and the two men on board went about their normal duties, including repair work on a balky oxygen generator.

The circuit breaker was a new one put in by spacewalking astronauts last summer. In a repeat from one year ago, the failure left the space station with only two functioning gyroscopes, the bare minimum needed for control.continue..