NASA Turning to Exercise to 'Wiggle' Out of Space Station Solar Power Problem

Dec. 15, 2006 -- Will a squat set up a wiggle on the International Space Station?

How many squats does it take to solve the space station's sticky solar array dilemma?

A few dozen? A few hundred? Some of the brightest minds in the space program are running the numbers.

The problem is a solar array that helps provide power for the International Space Station. This particular set of solar arrays has to be folded up to prevent the new rotating solar arrays installed during the last shuttle flight from crashing into each other.

So far enough panels have retracted to allow the new solar wing to start rotating like a big windmill and track the sun to create enough power to run the space station.

The solar arrays must be fully retracted sometimes, though, so engineers have been burning the midnight oil trying to solve that problem.

One solution they will try today is to jump-start the retraction process again.

If that doesn't work, then the next option is to make the space station crew line up and start exercising -- specifically doing squats.

Idea Inspired by One Astronaut's Exercise Routine

One bright person in Mission Control noticed that when astronaut Leroy Chiao used the IRED (NASA's language for interim resistive exercise device) a couple of years ago, he sent a vibration through the space station that caused the solar arrays to ripple -- a low amplitude frequency response.

When Chiao did this, the response from Mission Control was "knock it off."

So on Thursday when all these bright engineers were brainstorming for solutions, someone remembered Chiao's squats on the IRED.

While it may seem silly, it's really quite simple. Start a vibration that may wiggle the solar array loose.

"I may just have the space station crew and the shuttle crew all line up and see who can shake it loose," said Mike Suffredini, the International Space Station program manager.

A Safer Alternative

Squats would be a much safer solution, according to Suffredini. If the exercise doesn't work, then he will have to consider sending two astronauts out on a fourth, unplanned spacewalk to manually fold the solar array.

"We do at least seven to 10 runs in the neutral buoyancy lab for every scheduled spacewalk," he said. "We have never practiced an EVA [extra vehicular activity] for this scenario."

Suffredini is concerned about power charges along the array and very sharp edges that could puncture a space suit.

In an earlier interview with ABC News, Commander Mark Polansky explained why mission planners had anticipated this solar array would become such a headache.

"It has to be folded all the way up," he said. "And it is like this gigantic map that you have in your car, and after all these years you are going to start folding this thing back up, and you want it to fit perfectly just like when you bought it at the bookstore."

Chiao recently retired from NASA.

He was a highly accomplished astronaut who had spent six months as commander of the Expedition-10 space station mission from October until April 2005.

He conducted 20 science experiments, and two repair and installation spacewalks.

Despite all that, Chiao is now remembered by grateful engineers for an exercise routine.