Lost In Space: Astronauts Are Toolmongers, Too
By Chuck Cage
Ever drop a toolbag after you spent 10 minutes climbing a ladder and positioning yourself on the roof ledge just right to attach a satellite dish? If so, you’ll totally feel for Astronaut Heide Stefanshyn-Piper whom the AP and others are razzing heavily over losing a toolbag in orbit yesterday. Her task was to lubricate a jammed joint on one of the International Space Station’s solar panels, but it went wrong from the beginning: a grease gun leaked in the bag, coating everything with a thin layer of lube. Then the bag slipped from her hands as she worked to clean it.
Her response, according to the AP: “Oh, great!” That’s some remarkable restraint, especially considering that it’s not like they can pop down to Sears and grab a replacement. I’d have spewed something worse, I think. Thankfully she was able to get the job done with the team’s remaining tools, assuring a stable power supply for the station.
Anyway, how ’bout some solidarity and happy thoughts for a fellow Toolmonger busting her ass fixing things in orbit right now?
Endeavour Astronaut Loses Tools In Space [AP]
Astronaut Loses Tool Bag During Spacewalk [CNN]
STS-126 Mission Coverage [NASA]
Other reasons NASA is Toolmonger-Friendly:
- Need Help Wiring? NASA Shows You The Right Way
- Tool Pr0n: Tools In Space
- Re-Wiring The Space Station
November 19th, 2008 at 9:40 am
I have had the same experience when my wife borrows my tools without telling me till after the fact, they seem to dissappear into space as well.
November 19th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Its never take me 10 minutes to climb a ladder.
November 19th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I heard an interview with her on the radio. She made it pretty clear that the grease gun actually popped, or “exploded”. For my part, I’m impressed that she dealt with it as well as she did. It’s one thing to be covered in grease when you’re under your car and quite another when you’re 120 miles OVER your car.
November 19th, 2008 at 11:44 am
@ Bill: That’s hilarious.
November 19th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
I used more imaginative language just greasing a truck on my creeper this morning, and everything went according to plan. I dont know what Id do if I had to grease a space station, and nothing went right.
November 20th, 2008 at 10:20 am
the links to the other NASA-related posts are leading to the wordpress edit page, btw.
November 20th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
@josh Thanks, corrected!
November 20th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
[...] Lost In Space: Astronauts Are Toolmongers, Too Ever drop a toolbag after you spent 10 minutes climbing a ladder and positioning yourself on the roof ledge just right to attach a satellite dish? If so, you’ll totally feel for Astronaut Heide Stefanshyn-Piper whom the AP and others are razzing heavily over losing a toolbag in orbit yesterday… [...]
January 5th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
[...] Lost In Space: Astronauts Are Toolmongers, Too Ever drop a toolbag after you spent 10 minutes climbing a ladder and positioning yourself on the roof ledge just right to attach a satellite dish? If so, you’ll totally feel for Astronaut Heide Stefanshyn-Piper whom the AP and others are razzing heavily over losing a toolbag in orbit yesterday… [...]
January 27th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
[...] Lost In Space: Astronauts Are Toolmongers, Too Ever drop a toolbag after you spent 10 minutes climbing a ladder and positioning yourself on the roof ledge just right to attach a satellite dish? If so, you’ll totally feel for Astronaut Heide Stefanshyn-Piper whom the AP and others are razzing heavily over losing a toolbag in orbit yesterday… [...]