BBC:
A software update for the International Space Station (ISS)
resulted in a loss of communication lasting less than three
hours between the station and flight controllers in Houston,
Texas. While the primary computer was undergoing the software
update, it switched to a backup system, which was not
maintaining communication properly. The problem was traced to a
broken data relay system that normally passes communication
from NASA to the station via three satellites. Intermittent
communication was established through Russian satellites. The
ISS has experienced previous losses of communication during its
more than 12 years of human occupation. Former astronaut Jerry
Linenger says that a communications loss isn't considered
dangerous unless another emergency is happening simultaneously.
In fact, the current crew of the ISSâmdash;two
Americans, three Russians, and a
Canadianâmdash;had been simulating various
communications problems over the past several weeks to practice
dealing with such an interruption.
