October 30, 2007— This tear in a solar wing at the International Space Station prompted what may be one of the most difficult and dangerous spacewalking repairs.

NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski was set to fix the ripped solar panel, which was nevertheless still producing electricity, the Associated Press reported. Astronauts were unable to disconnect the wing or turn it off.

Parazynski will have to avoid touching the solar cells all over the wing. The tear was discovered earlier this week when astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery were attaching a module to the space station.

Discovery's mission was extended after the tear was noticed, and fixing the wing has become a priority.

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