Russian component persists in operation
The Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS), specifically around the Zvezda service module, continues to experience air leaks despite multiple repair attempts since the leaks were first detected in September 2019.
The air leak is primarily located in the Service Module Transfer Tunnel of the Russian segment. The issue has been a source of concern for space agencies Roscosmos and NASA, with permanent sealing of the affected section being considered to stop the leakage. However, this would result in the loss of a Russian docking port, which is not desirable for station operations.
The ongoing repairs and the exploration of sealing off the affected area have not completely resolved the issue. The leak rate has doubled over the past six years, from approximately 0.45 kg to over 0.9 kg of air per day.
The causes of the leak include structural wear and micrometeoroid impacts on the Russian segment. For example, meteoroids caused leaks in Soyuz MS-22 and Progress MS-21 spacecraft attached to the Russian segment in 2022 and early 2023, adding to the complexity of maintaining pressure integrity. Additionally, a leak occurred in a heat exchanger of the Nauka module's radiator backup loop in late 2024, indicating structural and system aging issues in the Russian segment.
Despite ongoing efforts, a definitive resolution has yet to be implemented. NASA has classified the leak as a critical risk, and the crew is not in immediate danger, but the issue remains a concern for station integrity and operations. The source of the leak is an intermediate chamber in the docking module connected to the Zvezda module, which was launched into orbit in July 2000.
The Axiom 4 mission, originally scheduled for launch, has been delayed by NASA due to the leak issue. NASA and Roscosmos have not yet reached an agreement on the causes of the leak, and the methods for the final resolution of the leak have not been agreed upon.
In June 2024, there were hopes for positive developments due to new pressure readings in the Zvezda module. However, further observations showed that the problem had not been fully resolved. If the situation worsens, space agencies may consider completely sealing the Zvezda module. In such a scenario, the ISS would continue to operate.
The leak issue is being overseen by Sergey Krikalov, the executive director of Roscosmos' piloted programs. Despite recent attempts to fix it, the air leak from the Russian segment of the ISS remains unresolved.
- Given the ongoing air leak in the Service Module Transfer Tunnel of the Russian segment on the International Space Station (ISS), the need for solutions that balance station operations and health-and-wellness concerns becomes essential.
- As the science community continues to investigate the cause of the air leak in the Zvezda module, it's evident that the issue also raises concerns within the realm of health-and-wellness and space-and-astronomy, with implications for the future of space exploration.
