NASA, Paolo Nespoli / AP
This May 23, 2011, file photo released by NASA shows the International Space Station at an altitude of approximately 220 miles above the Earth.
Published Friday, May 10, 2013 | 11:30 a.m.
Updated Friday, May 10, 2013 | 1:43 p.m.
WASHINGTON — Two astronauts will do a spacewalk Saturday to try to fix an ammonia leak in the power system at the International Space Station.
The leak forced the shutdown of one of eight solar panels. But NASA says the space station can operate fine with only seven panels providing power.
NASA announced the decision to do the spacewalk at a briefing Friday afternoon.
The leak is in one of the radiator lines that cool the power systems. There's been a leak before in the same area.
NASA has said the six-man station crew is not in danger. Three of them are scheduled to return to Earth on Monday, one of the reasons why they will try to fix the problem this weekend.
AP writer Brock Vergakis contributed to this report from Hampton, Va.
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