For several years, a section of the International Space Station (ISS) under Russian control has been leaking, leaking pressure and air.

The leak has recently gotten worse, raising questions about both the safety of the crew and the long-term sustainability of the orbiting laboratory.

This situation gave rise to disagreements between the Russian space agency and NASA officials.

Let’s take a closer look.

The escape

The football field-sized International Space Station has reportedly been leaking for five years.

The leaks were initially discovered by authorities in 2019 in a tunnel that connects Russia’s Zvezda module to the docking port that receives spacecraft carrying supplies and cargo.

In July 2000, Roscosmos launched the module into low Earth orbit.

The leak is important because the rotating crew of astronauts needs the space station to be constantly pressurized and filled with breathable gases to exist.

In a statement, NASA informed that the cracks are “very small, not visible to the naked eye and have nearby supports and pipelines, making it difficult for diagnostic tools to access these areas.”

But this year, the rate at which air is lost has reached a record level. Air is escaping at a rate of 1.7 kilograms per day in April 2024.

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The differences

NASA and Roscosmos disagree on the risk that a continued leak poses to the space station. They also disagree on the causes and remedies for the Russian module leak.

Although Russia cites high cyclic fatigue due to micro-vibrations, NASA believes that a number of factors, such as pressure, mechanical stress, residual stress, module material characteristics and exposure to the environment, are involved.

According to the latest report from NASA’s inspector general, country watchdogs believe this is the most pressing problem facing the space station and poses a threat to the security of the space station. ‘crew.

The US space agency has “expressed concerns about the structural integrity of the (leaking module) and the possibility of catastrophic failure,” according to former NASA astronaut Bob Cabana, who chaired the advisory committee for the ISS on the ISS during a discussion on the issue on Wednesday. .

According to Cabana, Roscosmos has asked cosmonauts to tackle problem areas, but the team “does not believe that a catastrophic disintegration of the PrK (module) is realistic.”

Cabana said the Russians believe it is safe to continue operations, but are unable to “prove it to our satisfaction.” “And the United States believes it’s not safe, but we can’t prove it to Russia’s satisfaction,” he added.

Even after a meeting in Russia in September this year, these differences remain.

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Find a happy medium

In the meantime, the United States has brought in neutral experts from both sides to evaluate this case to help determine the underlying cause.

Cabana claimed that although the United States has already taken steps to create its team of experts, Russia has not yet complied with the recommendation.

According to CNNNASA and Roscosmos are still in open communication despite their different opinions on the seriousness of the situation.

“We have a very open and transparent relationship with our Russian cosmonaut compadres,” Barratt said.

NASA and Roscosmos met to discuss the ISS air leak, with NASA officials noting that Roscosmos “is confident that they will be able to monitor and close the service module hatch before the leak rate reaches an unsustainable level,” according to a recent report. by NASA OIG.

Astronauts and cosmonauts have been instructed to take precautionary measures at the space station, such as keeping the leaking section closed at all times, except when it can be opened to unload cargo from spacecraft arriving at a nearby docking port.

However, NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, who recently returned from the Crew-8 mission after spending more than eight months in space, said on November 8 that the door separating the American and Russian sides must be closed during this period.

With the contribution of agencies

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