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astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper watches as the bag floats away  (Source: NASA TV)
A NASA astronaut accidentally lost her toolbag while conducting a spacewalk

Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper suffered an astronaut blunder after she mistakenly let go of her tool bag in space after a grease gun inside of her backpack-sized bag exploded.

"Uh, we have a lost tool," Stefanyshyn-Piper said as she watched the bag float away.

It seems that the grease gun began to leak inside of the bag, which inadvertently lubricated everything inside the bag.  The bag floated away as she tried to manage the mess, but the lack of gravity proved too much.

NASA astronauts will now track the bag for the next few days, watching to make sure it doesn't impact the ISS.

Despite the incident, the spacewalkers were able to clean and lubricate the joints on a solar array located on the outside of the ISS.  NASA scientists believe a lack of lubrication was the initial reason the joint stopped working, and hope they don't have to worry about finding metal shavings on any future spacewalks.  

As researchers on Earth become increasingly concerned about the amount of space junk floating aimlessly in orbit, astronauts working aboard the ISS have lost items during spacewalks.

In July 2006 during a spacewalk, astronauts Michael Fossum and Piers Sellers were testing different ways to repair the ISS and managed to lose a 14-inch putty knife.  Several months later, astronaut Joe Tanner mistakenly sent a bolt, spring and washer into space.  

Space junk could potentially impact the ISS or a shuttle going to or departing the ISS, which could be catastrophic, space experts repeatedly warn.

Astronauts on the ISS were recently forced to fire boosters on the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle to help lower the orbit of the ISS one mile.



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Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By Bateluer on 11/19/2008 9:02:30 AM , Rating: 5
Seems like common sense to me, that the tool bag itself would be tethered to the space suit in some manner. Obviously, its not practical for every tool, but the entire bag should be.




RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By elessar1 on 11/19/2008 9:11:36 AM , Rating: 4
<sexist commentary>

It has to be a women loosing a purse...

</sexist commentary>


RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By Whedonic on 11/19/2008 9:39:24 AM , Rating: 5
<linguistic commentary>

You probably meant "losing" a purse...

</linguistic commentary>


RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By MrBlastman on 11/19/2008 10:31:51 AM , Rating: 5
<disgruntled male commentary>

For the kind of money Nasa paid for that handbag, it sure was ugly! And look, she even went and got grease all over it.

Women.

</disgruntled male commentary>


RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By oTAL (blog) on 11/19/2008 12:32:45 PM , Rating: 4
quote:
For the kind of money Nasa paid for that handbag, it sure was ugly!


I gotta say that commenting on how ugly the handbag is is pretty gay... not that there's anything wrong with it!!


RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By MrBlastman on 11/19/2008 1:22:54 PM , Rating: 3
You fail to see the humor. Have you ever noticed those obnoxious abominations that women spend money on at the mall - sometimes thousands of dollars... for a silly purse?

Has nothing to do with being gay or admiring the accessories.


RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By someguy123 on 11/19/2008 8:03:30 PM , Rating: 2
hey man, it's their money let em spend it the way they want.

just feel good that you didn't.


By kake on 11/20/2008 12:02:18 AM , Rating: 2
My wife gets her money from me, so yes, I did pay for it. *shakes head sadly*


By Myg on 11/25/2008 7:00:42 AM , Rating: 2
Well, theres nothing wrong with inclinations as long as they arn't expressed...


By hapticz on 11/20/2008 9:45:53 AM , Rating: 2
this event will provide for much mirth for years.....


RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By IceBreakerG on 11/19/2008 9:18:12 AM , Rating: 5
You say it like the guys at NASA are some kind of rocket scientists or something.


By PrezWeezy on 11/19/2008 7:45:29 PM , Rating: 1
Robin Williams:
"If you smoke a lot of pot, you may never become a rocket scientist...or maybe...If you seen some of the things that happen lately to NASA, maybe you can.
The Mars Lander...
I did the calculations in feet, but I programmed the Lander in meters.
So, instead of landing, fucker buried!
10 million dollars... oopsy!
Two years... splat!"


RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By bribud on 11/19/2008 9:21:24 AM , Rating: 5
Yep. At least some sort of cord that use could use to pull it back in. I mean, that is what surfers do when they lose their board.


RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By Inkjammer on 11/19/2008 11:24:35 AM , Rating: 4
Likewise, Duncan can produce and build a yo-yo for pennies on the dollar, but NASA can't figure out how to replicate that similar technology on an essential piece of mission essential equipment? The space yo-yo seems so... simple. Hell, even my work ID badge has a yo-yo style retractable cord.

At this rate we're never going to conquer the galaxy.


By bribud on 11/19/2008 1:27:10 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah, I know. I use the ID and retractable cord setup also, it just shows how ahead of the curve we are compared to NASA!


By mindless1 on 11/25/2008 12:58:19 AM , Rating: 2
But, the cord did not match her outfit, it had to go!


RE: Uh, tether the tool bag to the astronaut
By blowfish on 11/19/2008 9:39:18 AM , Rating: 3
It does seem ridiculous, but then NASA are not renowned for their common sense are they?

When I'm working at height, all my tools are on tethers. Now if it's common practice with humble terrestrial workers, it should surely be compulsory for astronauts, since the consequences of stray objects is so much more significant.


By isorfir on 11/19/2008 10:29:48 AM , Rating: 1
quote:
When I'm working at height, all my tools are on tethers.

I hope you're not a blacksmith.


By HelToupee on 11/19/2008 9:56:57 AM , Rating: 2
Or tether it to the device being worked on.

Or just have Scotty lock on to it and beam it back in. Oh... wait...


Tethered NASA toolkit
By hapticz on 11/19/2008 10:00:39 AM , Rating: 3
lets see now, 3 special non torqing pliers-$150,000, 1 canupulin retaining tool,-$50,000, 2 sets device specific bolts-$20,000, 4 sets non sparking retaining rings-$40,000, 1 attachment clip device-$40,000, 12 hand sewn Tyvek tether bags-$24,000, 1 restraint tether with security clip-$5,000. (probably a few more items i missed) , so take it out of this butterfingers paycheck, along with the USAF tracking cost for the next 50 years (~$50,000)...... :-))