The International Space Station is still losing oxygen but the situation is under control, Russian space agency Roscosmos said Saturday, adding that the group was ready to deploy an additional supply of oxygen if the problem persists. getting worse.
The leak affects the Russian division of the ISS, with the fault apparently located in the access region of the Zvezda model. The exact location is not yet clear, Russian media reported.
“We have had this leak for a long time, the rate is very small, nothing happened. One of the leaks was found and reduced, but it still is,” said Roscosmos Program Director Sergei Krikalev to Russian news agency Interfax.
There is pressure to determine where the leak is growing from, as oxygen stores and air pressure go down.
Cause of damage unknown
A 4.5-centimeter (1.7-inch) rip was already discovered in October with the help of a floating, sealed tea bag.
The astronauts, unaware of the cause of the damage, realized that there were other leaks elsewhere in the same region of the 20-year-old spacecraft. However, they did not find the fault at a spacewalk in November.
The astronauts are considering the possibility of closing the affected section and using oxygen sources, but say this would affect the overall activity of the ISS.
‘Everything is under control’
Roscosmos has said there is no danger to the seven aboard the ISS, which includes four Americans, two Russians and a Japanese astronaut.
Group leader Dmitry Rogozin assured the public that oxygen stores were on board and that the delivery of scheduled goods in February would include oxygen.
“First, the station itself has oxygen sources. That is, if it is necessary to replenish oxygen and nitrogen if air pressure is lost, we have such sources. And we are going to ship a cargo ship to the ISS in February. There is already a supply of oxygen, “Rogozin was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency TASS.
“If needed, we can use our alliance with NASA and ship part of the cargo, including oxygen, with an American cargo ship,” Rogozin said. “No need to worry, everything is fine, everything is under control.”
mvb / dj (dpa, Interfax)