NASA faces operational limitations with the International Space Station's robotic arm
Following a recent routine maneuver, NASA reports that the International Space Station's large robotic arm is currently unable to move. The issue also affects the mobile transporter used to guide the arm along the station's main truss.
The robotic arm, officially called Canadarm2, was provided by the Canadian Space Agency. According to Ars Technica, the 58-foot-long piece of equipment is designed with identical ends, allowing it to navigate the exterior of the orbiting laboratory using an inchworm-like movement. This capability was recently demonstrated during a routine 'walk-off' maneuver performed by astronauts.
Despite this recent successful movement, the agency is now facing a period where the arm and its accompanying mobile transporter are immobilized. The technical cause for this loss of mobility following the maneuver was not specified, but the hardware remains unable to navigate the main truss of the station for the time being.
Source: NASA, for the time being, is unable to move the space station's large robotic arm
