The International Space Station is Experiving an Air Leak—and NASA and Russia are at Odds over the Cause
The International Space Station is Experiving an Air Leak—and NASA and Russia are at Odds over the Cause
Over the past half decade, a steady flow of atmosphere has been escaping from a part of the International Space Station (ISS) that belongs to Russia. NASA and their Russian counterparts, Roscosmos, are still locked in disagreement regarding the cause of this issue and its potential implications.
The leak was initially detected in 2019 in a tunnel, dubbed PrK, that links a docking station to the Russian Zvezda module, which Roscosmos had launched into Earth's orbit back in July 2000. This year, NASA deemed the issue as highly risky, as the daily loss of air from the module had more than doubled, rising from about a pound to over two pounds.
During a recent meeting, Bob Cabana, a former NASA astronaut and now the chair of the ISS Advisory Committee, stated, as SpaceNews reported, that while Russian crews are working diligently to locate and seal the leaks, they do not believe a catastrophic disintegration of the PrK is imminent. NASA, however, has raised concerns about the structural integrity of the PrK and the possibility of a catastrophic failure.
Cabana further explained, "The Russians believe operations are safe, but they can't convince us of this, and the U.S. thinks it's not safe, but we can't prove it to the Russians."
Russian experts suspect the leak may be the result of high cyclic fatigue due to micro vibrations, whereas NASA teams believe a combination of factors, such as pressure, mechanical stress, residual stress, module material properties, and environmental exposure, could be responsible.
The leak was analyzed in a report by NASA's Office of Inspector General (OIG), which highlighted its scale and threat to the crew. The report noted that the two space agencies can't agree on the point at which the leak becomes unsustainable. During a meeting to discuss the ISS air leak, NASA officials acknowledged that Roscosmos is optimistic they can close the hatch to the Service Module before the leak becomes unmanageable.
Cabana told SpaceNews, "Despite the teams' efforts to identify the factors leading to the crack initiation and growth, the U.S. and Russian technical teams don't share a common understanding of the likely root cause or the gravity of the consequences of these leaks."
The leak intensified roughly a week before the February 14 launch of the Progress MS-26 cargo spacecraft, which docked to the aft end of Zvezda. The hatch linking the module to the ISS remained open for five days as the crew transferred cargo from Progress MS-26 to the station, and was then sealed shut.
Currently, NASA and Roscosmos are closely monitoring the leak and preparing to seal the hatch to the service module whenever access is not required, in an effort to minimize air loss and isolate the leak from the rest of the station. If necessary, they are prepared to permanently close the hatch if the leak rate becomes too high. The ISS would continue functioning as usual, but with one less docking port for supplies delivered to the space station.
As the two space agencies deliberate over the potential risks, the aging ISS is edging closer to retirement within the next six years, and its hardware may finally succumb to the marring effects of the harsh space environment.
The ongoing dispute between NASA and Roscosmos underscores the need for advanced technology and scientific research to address space-related challenges in the future. Despite their differing opinions, both agencies acknowledge the seriousness of the leak and are taking necessary steps to mitigate its impact, showcasing the importance of international cooperation in space exploration.