All reports suggest that the International Space Station’s new robotic handyman will survive, and not freeze into a $209 million junk pile due to a power problem. Astronauts bypassed a faulty cable on Friday, and managed to get power to the robot arm, which will keep it warm, and ready for duty, in the deep cold of space.

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The International Space Station’s new robotic repairman, a $200 million Canadian robot called Dextre, should end up working just fine despite some early glitches, officials say. Dextre, an incredibly dexterous ‘bot with two flexible three-meter arms (hence, of course, the name), is designed to be a kind of maintenance machine on the outside of the ISS.

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There are only ten shuttle missions to the International Space Station remaining, and trunk space is pretty tight. This week, NASA plans to launch the $1 billion Columbus module, a scientific laboratory that will enable scientists to conduct a variety of materials science and biological research.

But that doesn't mean space researchers and scientists are entirely happy. Some are still lamenting the expected loss of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a $1.5 billion cosmic-ray detector that probably won't ever find its way up to the station. NASA looked into different ways of delivering the AMS as late as last year, but each option proved too expensive.—Gregory Mone

(Image credit: ESA)

Via The Washington Post

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The zeroHouse, a concept home designed by the New York architecture firm Specht Harpman, would run on solar power and rain water, use gravity-fed plumbing instead of traditional energy-demanding pumps, and recycle its waste.

SF site Technovelgy.com likens it to the advanced abodes described in the Arthur C. Clarke novel Childhood's End, which could be anywhere on land, or even in the sea. The zeroHouse isn't quite there yet, but it certainly would make its occupants feel like the characters in an SF novel. Even the winged solar panel design is reminiscient of the International Space Station. Unfortunately, though, the couches don't look very comfortable.—Gregory Mone

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NASA is planning an emergency repair of the damaged solar panel astronauts discovered recently outside the International Space Station. Set to take place on Saturday, just a few days before the shuttle returns home, the plan will require two spacewalking astronauts, and it's risky but necessary.

If NASA does nothing, the tear could worsen and the entire panel might have to be jettisoned. Yes, the ISS does have a few more at its disposal, but this panel provides 15% of the station's electricity, and the ISS needs every bit of that to incorporate the planned new modules. The fix will require some ingenuity, as the ripped panel is far from an anchoring point for the spacewalking repairman. But NASA has pulled off plenty of feats like this before.—Gregory Mone

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Astronauts working outside the International Space Station just noticed a tear in one of its solar panels. Two of these 110-foot-long panels were due to be unfurled, and the first unrolled without a hitch, but NASA halted the second one when its spacewalkers saw the damage.

This caps a tough few days for the station, as astronauts also confirmed a problem with one of the motorized joints that turns the panels to face the Sun. NASA had suspected there was a problem, and astronaut Dan Tani confirmed it up close, noticing shards of metal scrapings throughout the joint. Next up: figuring out where they came from.—Gregory Mone

(Image credit: NASA)

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To see how to fly into an asteroid in three easy steps, launch the gallery here.

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As the space shuttle Discovery was on its way to the International Space Station, China successfully launched its first lunar probe.

The Chang'e-1 spacecraft, named after a mythical Chinese goddess, should begin orbiting the Moon on November 1. It will spend a year studying the lunar surface. China says that this latest mission is part of a program that will place an unmanned vehicle on the Moon by 2012. You can watch a video of the launch here.—Gregory Mone

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Calling all fashionista-engineers: NASA is looking for a tailor to create a flexible and strong spacesuit for astronauts working on the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). The suits have to protect the astronauts from cabin tears and the weightless flight. In addition the suits have to be able to handle moonwalks over an extended period of time. All aspiring spacesuit designers should apply soon; NASA will be awarding the contract in June 2008. The Orion CEV will put the new outfits to use on the first crewed flight to the International Space Station (ISS) no later than 2015 and on the moon by 2020.  —Saba Berhie

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Officials from China’s space program have said before that they plan to develop gourmet food for their astronauts, known as taikonauts. Now they’ve announced plans to sell the new line of meals to the general public, allowing the average citizen to eat like a space hero. The Scientific Research and Training Center for Chinese Astronauts joined with a Shanghai-based company to develop 60 different meals, including roast pork, stewed duck and taro-stuffed mooncake. The latter sounds especially suited for space travel.  Or more so than Tang, at least.

China’s next manned mission is planned for 2008, but even if all goes well, and the stewed duck is perfect, the taikonauts’ meal probably won’t measure up to the one that billionaire entrepreneur Charles Simonyi sampled on the International Space Station last year. The space tourist, who earned his cash by helping to develop Microsoft Word, prepared a French meal under the tutelage of friend Martha Stewart, and then shared it with all onboard.—Gregory Mone

Via AP

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