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nacnud
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Longer stays at the ISS for the Shuttle<br /><br /><font color="yellow">U.S. space shuttle crews will soon be able to stay at the international space station longer with the installation of a new power-transfer system that allows docked shuttles to use solar power from the space station instead of solely relying on electricity produced by the orbiters' fuel cells.<br /><br />The Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS) will make it possible to use the space station's solar arrays to supplement the orbiter's electrical power. The additional power will decrease the need for power output from a shuttle's fuel cells, which require liquid hydrogen and oxygen to operate. With this new capability, shuttles can stay docked at the station for nine to 12 days instead of the six- to seven-day period available with the current power transfer system.More<br /><br /><font color="white">This is good news, I wonder what extra will able to be accomplished with the extra 5 days or so?<br /></font></font>