The Canadian Space Agency's Dextre (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator) robot apparently needs a software patch to fix a timing problem that is preventing Dextre from fully powering up.
According to CSA's website, "Dextre is an essential tool for maintaining and servicing the space station. With its dual-arm design providing added flexibility, Dextre will remove and replace smaller components on the Station’s exterior, where precise handling is required. It will be equipped with lights, video equipment, a tool platform and four tool holders."
"Dextre is a complex robot designed to perform intricate maintenance and servicing tasks on the outside of the ISS. Dextre will carry out delicate work that, so far, could only be accomplished by astronauts during spacewalk activities. In other words, Dextre will provide an alternative to astronauts, considerably reducing the amount of time that they have to venture out of the ISS to perform demanding spacewalks and providing more time for them to perform science on the ISS."
Engineers are "confident" that the patch will fix the problem (I noticed they didn't say software programmers were confident, though).
I wonder if the engineers are as confident as I am during every Microsoft Patch and Pray Tuesday?
Update: At the end of the day, it wasn't a software problem as first thought. The patch was uploaded, but nothing happen. Engineers next thought it was a faulty cable. This was by-passed, and power was restored. You can read more about it here at ComputerWorld.
