There’s a coolant leak on the Russian side of the International Space Station. It’s not as dangerous as it is “messy.” Thankfully, this time it was a backup system which got whacked by a drifting piece of space junk.
Space station springs a leak
The International Space Station sits way above the atmosphere because air is such a drag. Things are a whole lot different up in orbit. This particular model has reached the end of it’s duty cycle and around 2030 it’s due to be tipped off into the ocean.
Until the replacement is online, the crews need to keep the aging equipment patched together and functional. Their lives depend on it.
It’s never good to look outside and notice all the Freon spraying out of your air conditioning condenser. In space, it doesn’t actually spray. The coolant freezes instantly into flakes of snow.
Russian module on International Space Station suffers coolant leak https://t.co/9kAukrOmu1 pic.twitter.com/YDfupXXB1u
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 9, 2023
The team aboard the station didn’t notice but ground control spotted it on a camera and radioed a heads up. On Monday afternoon, October 9, they “observed flakes emanating from one of two radiators” on the Nauka module at 1 p.m. ET.
The Nauka module is the Russian section added in July of 2021. According to Roscosmos, “the leak occurred on an external, backup radiator that was delivered to the ISS on a space shuttle mission in 2010.” That’s the good news.
“The main thermal control circuit of the module operates normally and provides comfortable conditions in the living area of the module. The crew and the station are not in danger.”
Confirmed by the crew
A NASA astronaut took a quick look outside the window for a weather report and confirmed it was indeed snowing. “The flight control team informed the crew aboard the space station of the potential leak, and NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli confirmed the presence of the flakes from the cupola windows.”
Just like back home on planet Earth, mission control ordered them to close the shutters.
The crew, NASA confirms, “was asked to close the shutters on U.S. segment windows as a precaution against contamination.” Otherwise, someone would have to go out in a spacesuit with a squeegee to get all the gunk off later.
Parking in International Space Station (ISS)
This is how you change parking spaces in Earth orbit. pic.twitter.com/LrRSrL93Nz
— Levandov (@Levandov_2) October 4, 2023
NASA was also breathing a heavy sigh of relief that none of the major life support systems on the station are currently threatened.
“NASA reiterated that the primary radiator is functioning normally, the ISS crew is not in danger, and ground teams will continue to assess the issue.” While it isn’t immediately clear exactly what caused the leak, they’re betting on space debris. The last time something like this happened, that’s what it was.
“Debris in orbit is a growing issue. The number of pieces of uncontrolled garbage in Earth’s orbit has grown exponentially in recent years, due in part to previous collisions between objects in orbit and anti-satellite weapons tests.” The station is practically flying through a minefield of shrapnel.
