Help me Brainstorm ISS Problems

[TromboneAl]

I'm putting together scenes in a short fiction book in which terrorists attack the ISS with a laser-type weapon.

Here's a diagram showing only the relevant parts of the ISS:

This happens in 2011, and there are six crew members on board.
The ISS is partially damaged.

These are the scenarios I'm considering:

On astronaut is killed immediately.
One Soyuz is disabled (only one "lifeboat" remaining: seats 3).
Control orders three astronauts to evacuate immediately, leaving two to try to save the station.
The three astronauts refuse to abandon ship.
ISS is drifting uncontrollable, power too low
There is one injured astronaut who must be treated with surgery, etc.
There is a fire (in Unity?) that must be fought.
Spacewalk required?
Have an astronaut on an EVA flung out into space.

It will probably end up that three do evacuate, and the two remaining are able to stabilize things and wait out a rescue.

Anything sound too fantastic? Other ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Beldar]

All of the crew are blinded during the short duration of the attack.

Thats similar to a event in a WW3 fiction involving the Soviets and the space shuttle, I can't recall the novel off hand. Sounds like a lingering and pretty much final way to go, although you could expand on it like was done in the movie "Marooned" (beeping Vostok to the rescue!).

_B

 

[TromboneAl]

Good idea. I just added it. One of the crew is blinded, and his vision returns, but he can still barely see.

 

[Fermion]

Likely his vision would have a big black hole in the middle and he would only be able to see peripheral for awhile. His brain may eventually try to compensate for this hole.

*Do not stare at laser with remaining eye

 

[Fermion]

Hey maybe the astronauts are really unlucky and this attack comes hours before a massive solar flare. The semi blind astronaut only has 20 hours to rotate the ISS to a position which will use the solar array to shield the space station electronics (and other astronauts) from the coming storm. Because of damage from the terrorist attack, he must execute a space walk and use a compressed gas cylinder from a student project to rotate the space station.

 

[Chuckanut]

The ISSpresso machine is damaged in the attack. As a result, Italian commandos raid the terrorist camp where they kill the lucky terrorists and force the unlucky ones to drink liters of instant coffee until they confess to their crimes.

 

[HFWR]

The toilet backed up...

 

[Fermion]

The toilet backed up...

Into the espresso machine water supply, but the problem went unnoticed because they were using a Starbucks grind.

 

[Chuckanut]

I do think the EVA astronaut drifting off into space is a bit trite.

 

[HFWR]

Into the espresso machine water supply, but the problem went unnoticed because they were using a Starbucks grind.

 

[Lakewood90712]

The toilet backed up...

Many years ago at Megacorp, we had a lunchtime lecture by a shuttle astronaut. In the Q and A at the end, someone asked about " sanitary facilities for # 1 and # 2" on the shuttle and the space station .

Her short answer :

,
" This is one time you are reminded gravity is your friend "

 

[Dash man]

Perhaps make one of the astronauts a female Russian who was in a relationship with one of the American ground controllers who was duped by the terrorists to give up information used to attack the ISS.

 

[TromboneAl]

I'm in love with this astronaut:

She does get a kick out of talking about the lavatories (starts at 9:09).

 

[HFWR]

The toilet backed up...

Talk about a floater...