Okeanos Explorer Chief Engineer Bob Dennis considers what additional support he can provide the satellite antenna technicians to faciliate quicker and safer repairs.

Okeanos Explorer Chief Engineer Bob Dennis considers what additional support he can provide the satellite antenna technicians to faciliate quicker and safer repairs. Image courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Galápagos Rift Expedition 2011. Download larger version (jpg, 1.2 MB).

More setbacks
July 10, 2011

Inaccurate information can have a cascade of negative consequences. The great progress with VSAT repairs stalled today. Technicians flown in to fix the system suggested it would take just a few hours to get the VSAT up and running again. Based on that timeline, shipboard personnel made a number of other decisions associated with port logistics. The VSAT problems have proven much more significant and the timelines were overly optimistic. Though everyone continues to do the best they can, the ship is now forced to head offshore and make freshwater. This setback will likely delay further repairs another 12-hours or so. Time is now getting short. Unless repairs can be made quickly, we will likely be without telepresence communications for Leg II.