The International Space Station is still losing oxygen, but the situation is under control, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said Saturday, adding that the agency was ready to send an additional supply of oxygen if the problem escalates.
The leak affects the Russian part of the ISS, with the flaw apparently in an access section to the Zvezda module. The exact location is not yet clear, Russian media report.
“We have had this leak for quite some time, the rate is very low, nothing has happened. One of the leaks has been found and mitigated, but it still persists,” Sergei Krikalev, Roscosmos program director, told Russian news agency Interfax. .
The pressure to find the source of the leak is increasing as oxygen reserves and air pressure continue to decrease.
Cause of damage unknown
A 4.5 centimeter (1.7 inch) tear was already exposed in October using a floating tea bag and sealed.
The astronauts, not knowing what caused the damage, then realized there was another leak from elsewhere in the same portion of the 20-year-old spacecraft. However, they couldn’t find the fault during a spacewalk in November.
The astronauts are considering the possibility of shutting off the affected section and using oxygen reserves, but say this would affect the overall operation of the ISS.
‘Everything is under control’
Roscosmos has said there is no danger to the seven people on board the ISS, including four Americans, two Russians and a Japanese astronaut.
The Agency’s head, Dmitry Rogozin, assured the public that oxygen reserves were on board and that a scheduled cargo delivery in February would also include oxygen.
First, the station itself has oxygen reserves. That is, if it needs to replenish oxygen and nitrogen in the event of atmospheric pressure loss, we have reserves like that. And we’re going to send a cargo ship to the ISS in February. already a supply of oxygen, ”Rogozin told Russia’s TASS news agency.
“If necessary, we can use our relationship with NASA and ship some of the cargo, including oxygen, with a US freighter,” Rogozin said. “Don’t worry, everything is fine, everything is under control.”
mvb / dj (dpa, Interfax)