NASA cites cracks since 2019 on the Space Station in warning to astronauts

NASA released new details about the safety alert that led five astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) to prepare for a possible evacuation on Friday (5). According to the agency, the measure was taken as a precaution during a repair operation in an area affected by air leaks in the Russian Zvezda module.

According to NASA, the transfer compartment of the Zvezda module has been experiencing cracks since 2019, which have caused small leaks of the station's atmosphere. Since then, the American space agency and Russia's Roscosmos have worked together to identify the cause of the problem and implement containment measures.

According to the agency, the week of June 1, during cargo operations on the Progress 95 spacecraft, Roscosmos observed that the leak rate had increased to about two kilograms of air per day and identified new areas suspected of loss of pressure in the compartment. Given this, Russian agents decided to carry out a more extensive inspection and begin structural repairs on Friday morning.

The procedure involved cutting a structural support to allow access to a region considered a possible source of the leak. According to NASA, the technique could increase risks to the integrity of the structure, which led the American agency to determine that the four members of the Crew-12 mission and astronaut Chris Williams adopt a reinforced safety posture.

The astronauts were instructed to remain in SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, in a protocol known as "safe haven" - or safe shelter - used in situations that require preparation for an eventual evacuation of the station.

On Friday morning, however, Roscosmos decided to suspend the structural repair and carry out new measurements and data analysis. The inspection included checking suspicious areas and reviewing places where sealants had previously been applied.

NASA said it supported the Russian agency's decision. With the suspension of work, the astronauts ended the safety protocol and resumed normal activities aboard the ISS.

According to the American agency, teams from the United States and Russia will continue to work together to evaluate the problem and find a definitive solution to the leaks detected in the Zvezda module.

What is the International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is a scientific laboratory that orbits the Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometers. Considered the largest structure ever built by humans in space, it functions as a permanent base for research in a microgravity environment and has been continuously inhabited since the year 2000.

The project is the result of an international partnership that brings together the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan and European countries. The station is made up of several interconnected modules, which serve as work areas, laboratories, dormitories, life support systems and places to carry out scientific experiments.

The main function of the ISS is to allow studies that cannot be carried out under conditions found on Earth. The almost total absence of gravity enables research in areas such as medicine, biology, physics, chemistry and engineering, helping scientists to better understand the behavior of the human body and different materials in space.

In addition to contributing to scientific advances with applications in everyday life, the station is also used to test technologies that could be used in future space exploration missions. Much of the knowledge obtained on the ISS is considered essential for projects that aim to take astronauts back to the Moon and, in the future, to Mars. The station completes approximately 16 laps around the Earth per day and can house up to seven crew members on long-duration missions.

See NASA's full statement
"The Zvezda service module transfer tunnel, known as PrK, on the International Space Station (ISS) has had cracks since 2019 that have resulted in small atmosphere leaks. NASA and Roscosmos are working together to identify the root cause while the Russian space agency applies mitigation measures, including temporary and permanent sealants.

In the week of June 1, during cargo operations on the Progress 95 spacecraft, Roscosmos recorded an increase in the leak rate - to around 900 grams per day - and identified new suspicious areas in the PrK.

On Friday morning, Roscosmos decided to begin a more extensive structural inspection and repair effort. The approach involved cutting a support to better access an area identified as a possible source of the leak - a method that could pose a high risk to the local structure. In response, NASA ordered the four members of SpaceX Crew-12 and astronaut Chris Williams, who traveled to the station aboard Soyuz MS-28, to adopt a high safety posture inside the Dragon capsule, a procedure known as safe have*.

As early as Friday morning, Roscosmos paused the structural repair to carry out additional measurements and data assessments, including inspection of suspect areas and review of locations where sealants had previously been applied. NASA strongly supported the decision. With that, Crew-12 and Williams closed the safe haven and resumed normal operations aboard the station.

NASA reported that it will continue to work with Roscosmos and other international partners to ensure a resolution to the problem."

Source: CNN