NASA Loses Contact With ISS, Communications Reestablished Two Hours Later; 'The Computer Basically Burped'

NASA lost contact with the International Space Station for two hours Tuesday morning, which the space agency blames on a computer glitch.

The six astronauts were reported to be fine and were still able to talk through Russian ground stations while the problem was being resolved.

"This morning, at approximately 9:45 a.m. EST, the International Space Station experienced a loss of communication with the ground. At that time, flight controllers in Houston were updating the software onboard the station's flight computers when one of the station's data relay systems malfunctioned," NASA said in a statement.

"The primary computer that controls critical station functions defaulted to a backup computer, but was not allowing the station to communicate with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellites."

NASA was able to reestablish contact with the six astronauts onboard the ISS and posted an update on Twitter.

"Communications have been restored with the space station effective 11:34 a.m. Central," the space agency tweeted.

During the communication failure, astronauts were able to contact ground stations directly as they passed over them--just like the procedures used in the beginning of the space program.

NASA has been using Tracking and Data Relay satellites since the 1980s that allow communications at much higher orbits and with fewer interruptions.

The astronauts on the ISS were able to reset the computer systems and resolve the communication hiccup.

"The computer basically burped, for lack of a better word," said NASA's Josh Byerly.

(SOURCE)