Astronaut loses $100,000 tool bag

[paperskater]

So, apparently one of the astronauts accidentally let go of her tool bag during the spacewalk (original article here (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h1W8dcUP9H70AmlSfDSenPteDT9gD94HJO401)).

Just a little bit from the article...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A spacewalking astronaut whose grease gun erupted in a backpack-sized tool bag accidentally let go of the tote outside the international space station Tuesday, and it floated off along with everything in it.

It was one of the largest items ever to be lost by a spacewalker, and occurred during an unprecedented attempt to clean and lube a gummed-up joint on a solar panel.


But the coolest thing is that it can be seen with the naked eye! There's a nifty little tracker here (http://www.n2yo.com/?s=33442) where you can see where it is now and look up when it will be visible from your house!

(Forgive me if this already has been posted somewhere. I looked!)

[Boran]

This is really great!

[Soapy Sam]

Really, officer, I saw an unidentified , flying pipe wrench.
A drink? Well, since you ask , I'll have a dry sherry, thanks.

[Zep]

What do you mean, you left it packed by the front door before we left?! Why is it MY responsibility to make sure you get YOUR stuff into the shuttle?! Just wait 'til your father gets home! Criminy!!

[TjW]

My experience has been that it will show up down at the pawn shop after awhile, marked down to $10,000.

[Starthinker]

Women can never be trusted with tools.

[Lennart Hyland]

And here is what it looks like from earth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJF8m0KbDZQ&eurl=http://www.physorg.com/news146985103.html

[paperskater]

Women can never be trusted with tools.


I think my pliers want to have a word with you(r fingernails).

[Soapy Sam]

Surely, this is the most public Euwanka moment of all time?

[SirPhilip]

But the coolest thing is that it can be seen with the naked eye! There's a nifty little tracker here (http://www.n2yo.com/?s=33442) where you can see where it is now and look up when it will be visible from your house! (Forgive me if this already has been posted somewhere. I looked!) While the hottest thing when it's composite materials survive deorbit and punch through an AWACS at 40,000 feet.

[SirPhilip]

Women can never be trusted with tools. This should be a lesson not to let them drive vehicles with over 37 million horsepower either.

[The skepTick]

Spacewalkers have to follow something called the tether protocol which, at its most basic level, means the astronaut has to have two attachment points to the station or shuttle. But tools are also normally tethered to prevent them from drifting away. You can imagine there are a lot of tethers to deal with - tether management becomes a problem. So, while we hate to see these tools drift away, it's bound to happen. As I understand it, she was also dealing with a grease gun that had discharged into the bag. One problem leads to another...

[Bikewer]

Landed in my backyard last night. Someone's been ripping NASA off, though; this is all cheap Chinese stuff from Harbor Freight.

[neutrino_cannon]

Does an MMU have enough delta-v for someone to safely go out and grab that thing?

[The skepTick]

Does an MMU have enough delta-v for someone to safely go out and grab that thing?

Spacewalking astronauts do wear a "jet backpack" called SAFER (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplified_Aid_for_EVA_Rescue) (Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue) but it is intended solely for returning an untethered astronaut back to the shuttle/station - not to be used for rescuing tools. MMUs (Manned Maneuvering Units) aren't routinely carried on the shuttle anymore. Those were used for specific satellite recovery missions.

[Soapy Sam]

Better to lose some tools than risk an astronaut, methinks.

[JJM]

What impresses me about this story is the notion that one can fit $100,000 worth of tools in a backpack. I realize they are custom-designed and fabricated; but, Dang!

[jond]

Well for me, the coolest part is that my best friend from high school was the guy who saved the mission by being so efficient out there that he was able to finish his projects and share his tools so they could get it all done. Of course, I'm probably a bit biased...

[Harpyja]

I love how fast this thing is moving.
Any idea of when the toolbox is going to head over Florida?