Air still leaking from ISS after failed attempt to seal the crack
Pressure continues to decline at the International Space Station after a failed attempt to fix the air leak using adhesive tape. The leak is located the working compartment of Zvezda Service Module and was described by Roscosmos as 'more than standard.' The leak was first detected in September 2019 and by August 2020 it increased five-fold.
Last week, the Moscow Mission Control Center instructed Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner to use as much adhesive tape as possible in Zvezda's intermediate chamber, where the air leak is expected to be located. But his attempt to seal it was not successful.
On Friday, October 9, Vagner informed specialists at the Center that the pressure in the compartment had declined by 17 mm Hg down to 715 mm Hg.
The leak was first detected in September 2019 and by August 2020 it increased five-fold — from 270 grams to 1.4 kilograms (9.5 ounces to 3 pounds) of air per day.
Two weeks ago, Sergei Krikalyov, the executive director of Russia's manned space programs, said that what's happening now is more than standard leakage, adding that it will require supplies of extra air to the station if it lasts a long time.
An overall interior view of the Zvezda Service Module photographed by an Expedition 17 crewmember on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA
Image credit: NASA
Image credit: NASA
Featured image credit: NASA
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