Leak hunt continues on ISS
Two stories today indicate that the search for the elusive source of the slow leak on ISS is continuing.
- NASA has narrowed the source of an elusive leak on the space station to 2 Russian modules
- ISS crew to be isolated inside Russian segment again to expose air leak
The problem is that the two stories appear to have no overlap, making it hard to figure out what is planned and why.
The first story describes how engineers, based on the first isolation test, now think the leak must be coming from one of two modules:
…the ones the crew didn’t test because they were inside them while monitoring the rest of the station. One is the Zvezda Service Module, which provides life support for the station’s Russian side. The other is the Poisk Mini-Research Module 2, which serves as a port for docking spaceships and a place where crew members prepare for spacewalks.
The second story, from the Russian press, does not mention this detail. All it says is that the astronauts are going to once again isolate themselves in “the Russian segment” so the rest of the station can be tested for leaks. Since the two modules in question are both in that Russian segment, it is unclear where the astronauts will be isolated, especially since Zvezda is also where the Soyuz descent capsule is docked and if sealed from astronaut access it also seals them from their lifeboat.
It could be that the plan is to do another test of the American side of the station, then do these two Russian modules after the arrival of the next manned Dragon mission in a little less than a month. Dragon can then replace Soyuz as a lifeboat, allowing a test of Zvezda.
Regardless, the leak is a slow one, and is not yet life-threatening. That the leak rate has recently increased however requires action to find and fix it.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Two stories today indicate that the search for the elusive source of the slow leak on ISS is continuing.
- NASA has narrowed the source of an elusive leak on the space station to 2 Russian modules
- ISS crew to be isolated inside Russian segment again to expose air leak
The problem is that the two stories appear to have no overlap, making it hard to figure out what is planned and why.
The first story describes how engineers, based on the first isolation test, now think the leak must be coming from one of two modules:
…the ones the crew didn’t test because they were inside them while monitoring the rest of the station. One is the Zvezda Service Module, which provides life support for the station’s Russian side. The other is the Poisk Mini-Research Module 2, which serves as a port for docking spaceships and a place where crew members prepare for spacewalks.
The second story, from the Russian press, does not mention this detail. All it says is that the astronauts are going to once again isolate themselves in “the Russian segment” so the rest of the station can be tested for leaks. Since the two modules in question are both in that Russian segment, it is unclear where the astronauts will be isolated, especially since Zvezda is also where the Soyuz descent capsule is docked and if sealed from astronaut access it also seals them from their lifeboat.
It could be that the plan is to do another test of the American side of the station, then do these two Russian modules after the arrival of the next manned Dragon mission in a little less than a month. Dragon can then replace Soyuz as a lifeboat, allowing a test of Zvezda.
Regardless, the leak is a slow one, and is not yet life-threatening. That the leak rate has recently increased however requires action to find and fix it.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
I know the next Dragon with bring 4 astronauts, but I believe it can accommodate up to 7. Will it / can it be configured with max seats to serve as a lifeboat for the entire crew complement?
Obviously an American astronaut has snuck into the Sov— uh, I mean, Russian—side, and committed sabotage. I mean, obviously. Come on.
If so, he must have somehow gotten by the nannycams the Russkies said they were going to install. So, in addition to being devious, he must also have the ability to become invisible. Oh yes, and to make anything he carries invisible too, else whatever he used to poke the hole with would also show up on the nannycams both coming and going.
The hole has to be like the previous Russian one. Hidden behind something not easily moved.
It could be a hole behind a anything bolted to the hull.
If it was a meteor or impact then internal damage would show up.
Could it be a seal leak between the modules?
You know a simple Vape machine bought at any store could be all they need to find the hole.
Isolate each module and shut down the air system for just long enough to use the vape to find the hole.
Send a couple 20 dollar Vapes up.