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米航空宇宙局（ＮＡＳＡ）は１１日、日本人宇宙飛行士の若田光一さんが滞在する国際宇宙ステーション（ＩＳＳ）で、冷却システム２系統のうち１つが自動的に停止したと発表した。
ＮＡＳＡによると、冷却装置は異常な温度を検知した後に停止した。不具合の原因は、ＩＳＳ外部に設置されたポンプの弁とみられる。ソフトの問題でなければ、船外活動で修理を行う必要があるという。
ＩＳＳには現在、若田さんら６人が滞在しているが、ＮＡＳＡは飛行士らに危険はなく、避難の必要もないとしている。
このトラブルで、地球に持ち帰るサンプルを保管していた冷凍庫などの装置が別の冷却システムに切り替えられるなどした。
［サンフランシスコ １１日 ロイター］
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