NASA: We are working to get the International Space Station working again

Houston, we have a problem.

The U.S. space agency NASA is reportedly considering its options regarding a malfunctioning cooling system part on the International Space Station (ISS). According to the space agency, it is considering a spacewalk to replace the part, a likely scenario, according to at least one of the space station’s astronauts.

“Any time you have something like this, it’s good news-bad news,” said NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio in a video-recorded interview on the agency’s site. “Of course, the bad news is, the station’s having problems and we have to go out and do a repair. The good news is, we have the spare parts, we have the training, we have the skills.”

The unresolved issue is now entering its third day, after NASA engineers discovered the malfunctioning cooling system on Wednesday. The team is focusing on a pump in one of two ammonia cooling loops outside the station, saying it unexpectedly shut down early Wednesday.

While the cooling system remains function to some degree (the ISS can continue to function with just one cooling system), NASA says it is working around the clock to get the system replaced. The downed cooling system has forced the six-manned crew to turn off some experiments and shut down operations on Thursday, according to NASA officials.

According to the space agency, the astronauts on board the ISS are not in any danger, although NASA notes it has contingency plans in place should the need arise. NASA says should an emergency occur they will need to rely on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft to return home to Earth.

“If there were an emergency on the space station, the crew could use the Soyuz to leave the space station and return to Earth,” NASA notes on its website. “Russia helps the United States run the International Space Station … but only Russian spacecraft carry people to it right now.”

The cooling leak comes as the space agency has faced series of budget cuts over the past several years. President Barack Obama’s administration has signaled a shift from publicly-funded space missions to private companies leading the way.