NASA reveals how a short circuit aboard the International Space Station last Friday cut off the power of the orbiting space laboratory which means a spacewalk will be necessary to conduct some crucial repairs.

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The space agency says that one of the eight channels that are needed to bring power to the space station became suddenly offline when a short circuit affected a switching device causing it to trip, that required the crew onboard the ISS to switch from the affected systems to alternative channels.

This device that tripped is the one responsible for streaming power taken from one of the eight solar arrays that needed to power the entire space lab.

In 2014, there was a similar event that also required a spacewalk to carry out some repairs. According to NASA spokesman Dan Huot, the six astronauts of the ISS crew are not in danger however, this incident has already degraded the power system.

Unfortunately, an important spare part is needed to conduct necessary repairs in which it is yet to be delivered from Earth via a cargo resupply rocket, as this spare part is not onboard at the moment, which is needed before the spacewalk is mounted.

This cargo resupply rocket that will soon carry this spare part that will be launched in early 2016, where SpaceX will launch this unmanned delivery mission. To date, cargo resupply missions from SpaceX have failed and exploded, most recently in June. 

NASA officials say that private space commercial supplier, Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch a space cargo shipment in about two weeks however, the cargo capsule already reached its full load limit and packed for the space flight. 

Apart from SpaceX, Orbital ATK also suffered from failed missions that resulted in explosions which led to a one year hiatus in space launches. Their launch is scheduled for December 3, where they will be using another rocket, the Atlas V.

The Expedition 45 crew also paused for a minute of silence in light of Friday's deadly attacks in Paris where commander Scott Kelly and crew were "shocked and saddened" by the events.

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