Posted on 08/20/2020 12:23:02 PM PDT by BenLurkin
NASA is tracking down the source of a minor air leak on the International Space Station.
Crewmembers of the station's current Expedition 63 are in no immediate danger and will spend the weekend in the orbiting laboratory's Russian segment, inside the Zvezda service module, NASA officials said in an update today (Aug. 20).
Astronauts can work in a shirtsleeve environment inside the station, but the orbiting lab is never completely airtight; a little bit of air always leaks over time, requiring routine repressurization from nitrogen tanks that are sent up during cargo missions, NASA added in the update.
This leak was first spotted in September 2019, when there were "indications of a slight increase above the standard air leak rate," NASA said in the statement. "Because of routine station operations like spacewalks and spacecraft arrivals and departures, it took time to gather enough data to characterize those measurements. That rate has slightly increased, so the teams are working a plan to isolate, identify and potentially repair the source."
While the leak rate is higher than usual, it is still within specifications for the station and poses no immediate danger to the crew, NASA officials emphasized. Astronauts also deal with leak simulations during training for their stays on the space station, which typically are about six months long.
NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and his Russian cosmonaut crewmates, Ivan Vagner and Anatoly Ivanishin, will stay in the Russian Zvezda service module from Friday night to Monday morning (Aug. 21 to Aug. 24).
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
Where does one get ‘small air’?.............
When you are on a space station in the pure vacuum of space, there is no such thing as a “minor air leak”.
Where is the flex tape guy. He made a boat out of that stuff.
I was going to post the same thing.
I guess these guys are pros, but if I were in a space ship there would be no leak deemed small. I doubt there are “small” leaks on a submarine.
Perhaps they should use Large Air, then it wouldn’t leak so much.................
The chewing gum finally fell off the Russian section ?
just a small leak, nothing to see folks.. when one thinks of all the sealed joints modules hoses fittings etc. , it’s a wonder it doesn’t implode.
Just apply Flex Seal and YEEEEHAA!
Now THAT is funny!
and the intentional hole they found last year? what was the verdict on that one???
*duck tape ping*
Must be a quack somewhere in a bulkhead.
Tire patch for truck......
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