SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Command and Control Computer Shuts Down, Backup Takes Over; No Impact to STS-118 Spacewalk*

The main command and control computer in the International Space Station’s Destiny Laboratory shut down about 3:52 p.m. EDT Saturday. The primary backup computer immediately took control and assumed the backup duties. There was no impact to the spacewalk being conducted by the STS-118 crew. Flight controllers are working to resolve the issue.

*Space Station Grows With Addition of Truss Segment*

ISS's robotic arm, Orbital Boom Sensor System and Endeavour's robotic armImage above: The International Space Station's robotic arm prepares to hand off the Orbital Boom Sensor System (OBSS) to shuttle Endeavour's robotic arm. Image credit: NASA TV

TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Already the largest human-made object orbiting the Earth, the International Space Station continued its on-orbit growth spurt with the addition of the Starboard 5 (S5) truss segment. The S5 was attached Saturday during STS-118’s first spacewalk.

The S5 will serve as a spacer segment between the Starboard 4 and 6 (S6) segments. The S6 and its solar arrays will be attached during a future shuttle mission. The S5 is the newest piece of the station’s backbone, called the Integrated Truss Structure, which will eventually span the length of a football field and contain four sets of solar arrays.

At least two more spacewalks will take place during STS-118’s stay at the station. One of the tasks during the upcoming spacewalks is the replacement of a faulty attitude control gyro. The two crews are also transferring cargo between Space Shuttle Endeavour and the station.

Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineers Oleg Kotov and Clay Anderson welcomed the seven-member STS-118 crew aboard the station Friday at 4:04 p.m. EDT. The STS-118 crew arrived at the station a couple of hours earlier when Space Shuttle Endeavour docked at 2:02 p.m.

A decision is expected Sunday about a possible three-day extension of Endeavour’s stay at the station. A fourth spacewalk could also be added.

+ Read more about Expedition 15 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.html + View crew daily timelines http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html