The International Space Station has experienced multiple leak events, with the most persistent leak traced to the Russian Zvezda module.

A slow air leak was first noted in 2019 and monitored by astronauts.

The air loss rate increased in August 2020, prompting a search focused on the Russian segment.

Cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov located the leak in the Zvezda service module's intermediate chamber after targeted inspections.

The crew used a tea bag to track airflow toward the leak site.

The station was losing about 1 kilogram of air per day, above typical levels.

In October 2020, temporary measures including tape and sealant were applied to slow the leak.

Roscosmos sent repair equipment on a Progress cargo ship to aid in final leak-elimination work in the Zvezda chamber.

Inspection and repair involved microscopy, cutting thermal insulation, and bending micrometeoroid protection.

By April 2022, air leakage decreased roughly threefold, from 1.14 kg/day to 0.47 kg/day, after damage was sealed in March 2021.

NASA and Roscosmos coordinated troubleshooting, maintaining crew safety and station operations without immediate risk.

NASA considered isolating Zvezda as a precaution, but Roscosmos deemed the concerns unfounded.

Experts concluded that the module's age and technological solutions likely caused the cracks, with debris or seal issues also considered as possible leak sources.

The small cracks were difficult to detect, requiring specialized tools and methods.

ISS partners have continued normal operations, using repair materials from Progress missions to restore module tightness.

A cabin air leak, likely due to age and structural issues, was detected in 2019, intensified in 2020, and mitigated through staged repairs.

A tiny hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, caused by a manufacturing defect, was discovered on August 30, 2018.

The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft experienced a coolant leak in December 2022, attributed to a micrometeorite impact, but the crew remained safe.

The International Space Station has experienced multiple leak events, with the most persistent leak traced to the Russian Zvezda module.

Title:

Content: How did a bag of tea help astronauts save $150 billion?
How did a bag of tea help astronauts save $150 billion?
A few years ago, a torn bag helped save the ISS
The International Space Station was built in 1998 for $150 billion.
Every year, another 3-4 billion dollars are spent to maintain its operability, but the design is already very old and needs repair more and more often.
For example, in August 2020, a pressure drop was recorded aboard the space station, which is a sign of an air leak.
All astronauts and cosmonauts on board were isolated in the Russian Zvezda module.
After some time, it was found out that the air-permeable crack was in the module in which the entire crew temporarily settled.
One of the Russian cosmonauts was able to quickly find the place of leakage with the help of a usual tea bag.
Oxygen on the ISS
According to the India Times, the space station loses about 250 grams of oxygen every day and this is normal - it is difficult to achieve complete tightness.
In the event of an acute shortage of oxygen, it is delivered by cargo ships, but is most often produced directly at the station.
In the second case, members of the ISS use electrolysis - an electric current is passed through the water, as a result of which oxygen appears.
To do this, on board there is a life support system ECLSS, which not only monitors the operation of the station, but also provides people with access to water, protects against fires and so on.
ECLSS technical director Robyn Carrasquillo once praised Russia for using a way to extract moisture from the air, even in the old Salyut and Mir spacecraft.
ECLSS system
Oxygen leakage to the ISS
In August 2020, the space station began to lose about a kilogram of air per day.
The situation was serious, but the lives of the ISS crew were not threatened.
Astronauts from different countries temporarily began to live in the Russian module “Zvezda ” and for four days searched for a leak in other parts of the station.
The search did not give any results, so it became clear that the gap is in the Zvezda module launched more than 20 years ago.
The leak could have occurred for various reasons, for example, due to the collision of the ISS with space debris, which is a lot in near-Earth space.
Also, it was not excluded that seals simply peeled off from the walls of the station, which just do not allow oxygen to leak.
ISS module "Zvezda"
Search for the place of oxygen leakage
An unusual way to find the leak was found by cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin.
He installed several cameras in the module and opened the tea bag.
After some time, the ISS members noticed that the tea leaves began to move slowly towards one of the metal walls of the module.
After studying the trajectory of the leaves, the space crew quickly found the crack formed on the ISS.
First, they taped this place with tape, and then got permission to use a drill and sealant.
It is known that thanks to the trick with a package of tea, the astronauts managed to save about 150 billion dollars.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin
The International Space Station is aging and will one day become completely unusable – that ’ s a fact.
New cracks were discovered even in 2021.
Especially there are many of them in the Russian module “Zarya ”, which was launched into space in 1998 and today is the oldest part of the station.
More recently, Vladimir Solovyov, General Designer of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation, announced his concerns about the safety of the station.
It is especially frightening that the station is planned to be used even after 2025.
In theory, the use of the old station could cause a terrible disaster.
ISS module "Zarya"
Finally, I note that to replace the old module "Dawn" it was planned to send the module "Science".
But it became an independent module and docked to the ISS in July 2021.
The docking was far from perfect - the module deployed the station at 45 degrees.
19 october 2021 /
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A slow air leak was first noted in 2019 and monitored by astronauts.

Title:

Content: Ribbon
01 January 07: 01
All news
vk.com / Cosmonaut Ivan Wagner
Moscow, January 1.
Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov discovered in the Zvezda module on the International Space Station, presumably the last place of air leakage.
This was reported in the press service of Roscosmos.
The first small leak was discovered on the ISS back in 2019, since then, astronauts have been monitoring the situation and eliminating cracks in the hull.
Experts know how to return the module tightness.
This will be done as soon as Progress delivers the necessary equipment to orbit.
“Russian cosmonauts Peter Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov found a possible last place of air leakage in the intermediate chamber of the service module“ Star ” of the Russian segment of the ISS ”, — stated in the message.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously admitted the possibility of continuing the operation of the ISS after 2024.
This is necessary to maintain high launch activity.
Go back
Comment

The air loss rate increased in August 2020, prompting a search focused on the Russian segment.

Cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov located the leak in the Zvezda service module's intermediate chamber after targeted inspections.

Title:

Content: Ribbon
January 19 00: 04
All news
pxhere.com
Moscow, January 18.
Astronauts of the Russian segment of the International Space Station have discovered a possible place of air leakage in the chamber of the Zvezda module.
The relevant data follows from the material published by the press service of Roscosmos.
It is known that soon the nearest cargo ship "Progress" will be delivered to the ISS means of eliminating leakage.
After that, the Russian cosmonauts will immediately begin the final elimination of the cause of the leak.
"The means of eliminating non-hermeticity are planned to be delivered on the nearest Progress cargo ship, after which the cosmonauts will begin the final elimination of the leak," Roscosmos said.
Earlier, Russian cosmonauts Peter Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov discovered a potential last place of air leakage in the Zvezda module.
Specialists will be able to restore its tightness as soon as Progress delivers the necessary equipment to the station.
Go back
Comment

The crew used a tea bag to track airflow toward the leak site.

The station was losing about 1 kilogram of air per day, above typical levels.

In October 2020, temporary measures including tape and sealant were applied to slow the leak.

Title:

Content: On the ISS found a place of possible air leakage in the module “Star ”
On the International Space Station, a place of possible air leakage in the Zvezda module was discovered.
The discovery of a "suspicious" place in the module compartment was reported by cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov during negotiations with the Flight Control Center.
“There was a suspicious place.
I was engaged in photographing it under a microscope with magnifying glasses, ” the cosmonaut quoted Interfax as saying.
Recall that in August 2020, air leakage to the ISS was detected in the transition chamber of the Zvezda module.
In October last year, cosmonauts managed to find the crack and repair it with temporary means.
In August 2021, the media reported the detection of non-through cracks in the Russian module of the ISS "Zarya".
Executive Director of Roscosmos for manned programs Sergei Krikalev said then that he had no information about new cracks at the station.
At the same time, the representative of the state corporation noted that even in the presence of non-through cracks, the ISS can be operated for another 20 years.
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Is the ISS going to be a space hotel?

Roscosmos sent repair equipment on a Progress cargo ship to aid in final leak-elimination work in the Zvezda chamber.

Inspection and repair involved microscopy, cutting thermal insulation, and bending micrometeoroid protection.

Title:

Content: Moscow 24
Science
December 12, 04: 05
Russian cosmonauts took “smears ” from the area of   the hole in the“ Union ”
Photo: TASS / Mikhail Japaridze
Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Sergei Prokopyev completed the survey of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft and returned to the ISS.
They spent 7 hours 45 minutes overboard – 1 hour 14 minutes more than planned.
It was the 213th exit in the history of the ISS.
The world record for working in outer space is 8 hours 56 minutes and belongs to American astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms.
At 22: 16 MSK Kononenko and Prokopiev with the help of two manipulators "Arrow" reached the ship "Soyuz MS-09", in which a hole was previously found.
On the ship, cosmonauts using a cutter and metal scissors opened the screen-vacuum thermal insulation (EVTI).
Then they cut and with the help of clamping mites bent the micrometeorite protection.
At the same time, the astronauts did not find the point at which the drill could rest if the hole was made from the inside of the ship.
Kononenko and Prokopyev took "smears" from the area of   the hole and samples of the sealant with which it was clogged.
After the completion of the work, the cosmonauts were given the command to “return home ”, RIA Novosti reports.
The samples should be delivered to Earth by Sergei Prokopyev, who will return on December 20 on the Soyuz MS-09.
The onboard compartment of the ship, in which the hole is found, will burn in the atmosphere during landing.
On August 30, an air leak occurred in the Soyuz spacecraft, which docked to the ISS on June 8.
The crew of the station carried out repairs and sealed the hole.
The Commission of the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (the manufacturer of the spacecraft) ruled out the version of the production defect.
The newspaper Kommersant reported that the hole could have been deliberately drilled by American astronauts in order to bring one of their sick colleagues to Earth as soon as possible.
Later, the head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said that the sealant on the outside of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft indicates that the hole was made on Earth.
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By April 2022, air leakage decreased roughly threefold, from 1.14 kg/day to 0.47 kg/day, after damage was sealed in March 2021.

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Russia and the United States will determine the causes of cracks that are looking for on the ISS from 2020
Russian and American experts during the meeting determine the reasons that led to the formation of cracks in the transition chamber (PrK) of the service module "Star" of the Russian segment of the ISS.
This was announced on Wednesday by the chief specialist (RSC) "Energy" (included in).
Photo: TASSTASS
“Now there is a meeting with American partners, why they [cracks] formed.
The first factor is age, <... > the second is technological solutions that eventually led to cracks, "Spirin said at the XLVII Academic Readings on Cosmonautics in memory of S. P. Korolev.
Video of the day
According to him, the leakage rate for the station is 325 grams per day.
“We stayed until 2019.
When the PrK was closed, we entered this norm, "the expert explained, stressing that if the camera is isolated and opened extremely rarely, then you can continue to fly to the ISS.
According to the presentation presented by Spirin, since the start of work on the search for the leak in September 2020, the damage to the shell has been localized and eliminated in three places.
"As a result of the work, the rate of air leakage from PrK was consistently reduced from 1.14 kg per day to 0.47 kg per day on a permanent basis and to 0.3 kg per day - on a temporary basis," the presentation emphasizes.
In March 2021, cosmonauts Roscosmos and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov carried out repair and restoration work on the housing of the Zvezda module, where they found a crack and a number of possible leaks.
All actions were carried out under the leadership of the Main Operational Group of the ISS Russian Segment and RSC Energia engineers and coordinated with specialists.
In mid-April 2022, a Roscosmos cosmonaut told reporters that air leakage had decreased three times after sealing the cracks.
XLVII Academic Readings on Cosmonautics in memory of S. P. Korolev (Royal Readings) are held at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University from January 24 to 27.

NASA and Roscosmos coordinated troubleshooting, maintaining crew safety and station operations without immediate risk.

Title:

Content: Russian space corporation reports leak in its module of International Space Station

MOSCOW (AA): The Russian Space Corporation (Roscosmos) has reported a leak in its module of the International Space Station (ISS).

There was a leak of coolant from the backup radiator circuit of the multipurpose laboratory module “Science,” it said in a statement.

The main thermal control circuit of the module operates normally, providing comfortable conditions in the residential area and there is no danger to the crew and the station, it said.

NASA considered isolating Zvezda as a precaution, but Roscosmos deemed the concerns unfounded.

Title:

Content: NASA reported on the possible isolation of the module “Star ” on the ISS
The module of the International Space Station (ISS) “Star ” can be isolated forever if it is not possible to eliminate air leakage, reports“ Interfax ” with reference to NASA Director for the ISS program Robin Gatens.
“In the worst case scenario, we can permanently isolate this module, ” she said at a meeting of the committee on space exploration and manned flights of the Advisory Board of NASA.
At the same time, Gatens stressed that the situation with the Zvezda module does not pose a serious threat, there is a sufficient supply of air at the station.
The head of the press service of Roscosmos Dmitry Strugovets recalled that Russian cosmonauts Peter Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov in late December found a possible last place of air leakage in the intermediate chamber of the service module “Star ”.
Necessary to eliminate leakage means are planned to be delivered on the nearest cargo ship "Progress".
“The concern of our partners is unreasonable and surprising, ” he said (quoted by TASS).
The first crack in the intermediate chamber of the “Star ” cosmonauts discovered in October 2020.
It was sealed in March of this year, but the leakage of oxygen did not stop, although it decreased.
In total, three locations were found, including in the Zvezda intermediate chamber, where cracks could potentially form.
On February 24, 2021, the crew made a temporary isolation of all potential cracks to find out exactly whether there was a leak in these places.
At the end of April, the search was temporarily stopped, and the hatch in the compartment was closed.
In July, the ISS crew resumed the search for the site of air leakage in the Zvezda module.
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Experts concluded that the module's age and technological solutions likely caused the cracks, with debris or seal issues also considered as possible leak sources.

The small cracks were difficult to detect, requiring specialized tools and methods.

Title:

Content: The Russian module of the ISS “Zvezda ” can be completely isolated due to air leakage
reads: 670
23.01.2022 23: 30
The Russian Zvezda module, which is one of the modules of the Russian segment of the International Space Station, could be permanently isolated due to air leakage.
This was reported by NASA Director for the ISS Robin Gatens, reports “Interfax ”.
She said that the situation with the module does not yet pose a serious threat to the ISS, but in the worst case, is considering the option of complete isolation of the “Star ”.
According to Gatens, NASA and Roscosmos are working together to eliminate air leakage in the module, but due to the small size of the crack, it is difficult to detect detectors and ultrasonic diagnostic tools.
In turn, Roscosmos said that the concern of their colleagues on the ISS “is not justified and is surprising. ”
According to the Russian Ministry, the cosmonauts found the site of the leak at the end of last month.
They promise to fix the problem when the Progress cargo ship delivers materials to the ISS.
Note that in the Russian segment of the space station repeatedly there were problems and other problems.
For the first time, an air leak in one of the modules was detected in September 2019, in October 2020, a crack was detected in the camera of the Zvezda module.
Recall that earlier it was reported that at the end of July 2021, after docking the Russian module “Science ” to the International space station, it turned on the engines, because of which the station began to move chaotically and for a time lost control over the orientation of the ISS.
Wikipedia: The International Space Station, Inc.
International Space Station (ISS).
ISS) is a manned orbital station used as a multi-purpose space research complex; it is operated from the end of 1998 to the present (the countries agreed to operate through 2024 inclusive, the extension of the period of operation to 2028, 2030 is being considered).
The ISS is a joint international project involving 14 countries: Russia, the United States, Japan, Canada and members of the European Space Agency Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, France, Switzerland, Sweden (originally the participants were Brazil and the United Kingdom).
The ISS is controlled by the Russian segment from the Space Flight Control Center in Korolev, the American segment from the Lyndon Johnson Flight Control Center in Houston.
The European Columbus and Japanese Kibo modules are controlled by the European Space Agency (Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Tsukuba).
There is a constant exchange of information between the centers.
Photofact

ISS partners have continued normal operations, using repair materials from Progress missions to restore module tightness.

A cabin air leak, likely due to age and structural issues, was detected in 2019, intensified in 2020, and mitigated through staged repairs.

A tiny hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, caused by a manufacturing defect, was discovered on August 30, 2018.

Title:

Content: NASA has excluded the involvement of its astronauts in the hole in the “Union ”
American astronauts are not involved in the appearance of a hole in the household compartment docked to the ISS “Soyuz MS-09 ” in 2018.
This was stated by the assistant head of NASA for manned flights Katie Leeds, commenting on the publication of TASS, in which, with reference to the source, it is reported about the likely drilling of a hole in the ship by astronaut Serina Augnon-Chancellor.
"NASA crew members carry out their missions professionally and honestly.
I support Serina and her professional behavior, and I don't find this accusation credible, "Leaders said.
On the eve of TASS published an anonymous interview with an unnamed top manager of “Roscosmos ”, in which the Agency interlocutor said that Aunyon-Chancellor, being the only woman in the crew, experienced“ acute psychological crisis ”.
The source of the publication explained that, wanting to speed up its return to Earth in connection with the emergency situation, the American drilled a hole that threatened to depressurize the station.
As one of the confirmations of his version, the Agency interlocutor indicated that NASA astronauts refused to pass the test on the “lie detector ”.
According to the source, the hole was drilled in zero gravity.
The crew discovered an air leak on the International Space Station (ISS) on the night of August 30, 2018, which was caused by a hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft.
It was located in the household compartment, not in the lander, so it did not threaten the return of the crew to Earth.
General Director of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin reported that the commission of the rocket and space Corporation (RSC) Energia ruled out the version of damage to the skin of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft as a result of industrial defects.
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The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft experienced a coolant leak in December 2022, attributed to a micrometeorite impact, but the crew remained safe.

Title:

Content: Russia to send rescue vehicle to International Space Station after leak
MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia said on Wednesday it will send a rescue vehicle to the International Space Station on February 20 to return three crew members of a Soyuz spacecraft damaged by a leak last month.
Announcement
The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, currently docked on the International Space Station, experienced a massive coolant leak in mid-December, and images showed quantities of particles leaking into space from the rear of the Russian spacecraft.
After examining the state of the device, the Russian space agency Roscosmos announced Wednesday that it considered it best to send another spacecraft, Soyuz MS-23, to bring back Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopiev and Dmitry Bitlin, as well as American astronaut Frank Rubio.
"It was decided to send the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft on February 20, 2023 without passengers," Roscosmos said in a statement, but with the necessary equipment.
The spacecraft was initially scheduled to take off on March 16 to take three more astronauts to the International Space Station.
Joel Montalpano, director of the International Space Station program at NASA ’ s Johnson Space Center in Houston, said, “We don ’ t call this Soyuz a backup, ” but a“ replacement. ”
"For now, the crew is safe on board."
The return of the Russian and American pilots, initially scheduled for March 28, has not been announced.
But their mission will be extended "by several months," Roskosmos manned flight director Sergei Krikalyov told a news conference.
The damaged vehicle will return to Earth empty, possibly “in mid-March or at the end of March, ” Krikalyov said.
Emergency Scenarios
Pending the arrival of the replacement vehicle, and in the event of an emergency that necessitates the evacuation of the International Space Station, the Russian and US space agencies are considering several scenarios.
But both agencies said that possibility was still remote.
The first scenario is to bring the three crew members aboard the damaged Soyuz spacecraft, despite concerns about the temperature that can be reached inside the spacecraft at the time of landing.
The second scenario is to reduce the "convection" on board Soyuz by "reducing the size of the crew".
After that, one of the three passengers will be returned by a SpaceX spacecraft that is also currently anchored on the International Space Station.
In fact, in addition to the three crew members who came aboard Soyuz, the ISS currently has four other passengers who arrived aboard SpaceX ’ s Dragon spacecraft, which is also supposed to be used to bring them back.
The idea, therefore, is to secure a fifth person on board, “in the area where the cargo would normally be, ” explained Joel Montalpano, head of NASA ’ s International Space Station program.
Accurate meteor impact.
The leak was detected on 14 December aboard the Soyuz spacecraft, as the two Russian cosmonauts were about to exit the station into space.
A preliminary assessment of the causes of the coolant leakage attributed the event to the possibility of a naturally occurring small meteorite impact, man-made debris in orbit or hardware failure.
On Wednesday, Roskomos confirmed that the hypothesis of the impact of a micrometeorite was "experimentally proven".
According to the Russian agency, a hole "less than a millimeter in diameter" was opened in a cooling pipe.
Given the speed at which experts believe the object collided with the International Space Station, it could have been caused by a "meteorite that came from a random direction", not a piece of debris that "wouldn't have been able to stay in orbit" so quickly, according to Sergei Krikalyov.
The Russian agency ruled out any mechanical failure.
For Vitaly Egorov, a Russian specialist on space issues, the decisions announced by the Russian space agency Roscosmos on Wednesday "are ideal to ensure the safety of (the crew) and minimize damage to the space program."
The ISS is one of the few remaining areas of cooperation between Moscow and Washington since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 and subsequent Western sanctions.
Roskosmos President Yuri Borisov last month praised the solidarity of Americans aboard the International Space Station, who have "extended a helping hand to help us" at a time when relations between the Kremlin and the White House were at an all-time low.
The International Space Station was launched in 1998 in a phase of U.S.-Russian cooperation, following the space race the two countries engaged in during the Cold War.
But the project has faced many technical problems, as well as corruption scandals that have tarnished the reputation of the Russian space industry in recent years, as it competed with the United States in the space race.


An ISS air leak was detected on the night of August 30, 2018, and it was traced to the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft. [1].

Initial suspicion pointed to a micrometeorite strike, but investigators later concluded the leak resulted from a manufacturing defect that created tiny cracks in Soyuz MS-09’s living module rather than its return module.

Russian crew sealed the hole with a special sealant, though the glue later dried and was squeezed out, and a commission was formed that identified the person responsible for the on‑Earth defect.

During an external inspection, cosmonauts cut insulation, collected “smears” and sealant samples around the hole, and noted the affected onboard compartment would burn up during reentry.

Because the damage was in the living module and not the descent capsule, the spacecraft’s return to Earth was not affected.

A separate slow air leak was detected in the Russian segment in 2019 and localized to the Zvezda module’s intermediate/transition chamber, where air loss temporarily increased before a Progress resupply docking. [3][4].

To pinpoint the site, the crew used methods including a tea bag in 2020 to watch airflow toward the crack in Zvezda.

Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov monitored the cracks and carried out repair work after equipment arrived on a Progress cargo ship. [3].

After Progress delivered repair materials, the crew sealed the cracks and restored the module’s tightness, reducing the leak rate to about 0.47 kg of air per day and at times to roughly 0.3 kg per day. [12].

The principal sealing work on Zvezda was performed in March 2021 and coordinated step‑by‑step with RSC Energia engineers.

Throughout the event, NASA and Roscosmos stated the crew and station were not in danger, life support remained stable with sufficient reserves, and both agencies worked together to resolve the issue. [4][11][14].

NASA considered isolating the Zvezda module if necessary, but this was not required once repairs held.

Officials subsequently reported the leak was fixed and the ISS continued operating safely.

Later inspections in 2021 found additional non‑through cracks in older Russian modules, but experts indicated the station could continue operating for many years with such minor flaws while maintenance proceeds.

For context, the station typically loses about 250 grams of oxygen daily due to normal permeability, rising to about 1 kilogram per day during the Zvezda episode, with the ECLSS system managing oxygen production and water supplies.

An ISS air leak was detected on the night of August 30, 2018, and it was traced to the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft. [1].

Title:

Content: Soyuz manufacturing defect causes air leak at International Space Station
Kazakhstan News Agency / Astana / September 3 - According to the Russian satellite network reported on the 3rd, Russian rocket space sources said that the manufacturing defect is the cause of the "Soyuz MS-09" spacecraft leak.
There was an air leak on the International Space Station on August 30.
The astronauts examined all the compartments and found tiny cracks in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft.
It is located in the living module, not in the return module, so it will not affect the return of the spacecraft to Earth.
It was previously thought that the fissure was the result of a miniature meteorite hitting the spacecraft.
The next night, Russian cosmonauts used special sealant to fill the hole.
The source said: "The cause of the crack in the inner shell of the living module has been identified and it has appeared on Earth.
The person responsible for the fault was identified. "
According to another source, the crew likely sealed the leak with special glue after realizing the mistake, so it was not detected during the pre-launch check and the spacecraft ’ s first two months of orbital flight.
"However, the glue later dried out and was squeezed out, revealing cracks," he said.
The Russian space agency said a special committee would investigate and determine the cause of the accident.
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Initial suspicion pointed to a micrometeorite strike, but investigators later concluded the leak resulted from a manufacturing defect that created tiny cracks in Soyuz MS-09’s living module rather than its return module.

Russian crew sealed the hole with a special sealant, though the glue later dried and was squeezed out, and a commission was formed that identified the person responsible for the on‑Earth defect.

During an external inspection, cosmonauts cut insulation, collected “smears” and sealant samples around the hole, and noted the affected onboard compartment would burn up during reentry.

Title:

Content: Moscow 24
Science
December 12, 04: 05
Russian cosmonauts took “smears ” from the area of   the hole in the“ Union ”
Photo: TASS / Mikhail Japaridze
Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Sergei Prokopyev completed the survey of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft and returned to the ISS.
They spent 7 hours 45 minutes overboard – 1 hour 14 minutes more than planned.
It was the 213th exit in the history of the ISS.
The world record for working in outer space is 8 hours 56 minutes and belongs to American astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms.
At 22: 16 MSK Kononenko and Prokopiev with the help of two manipulators "Arrow" reached the ship "Soyuz MS-09", in which a hole was previously found.
On the ship, cosmonauts using a cutter and metal scissors opened the screen-vacuum thermal insulation (EVTI).
Then they cut and with the help of clamping mites bent the micrometeorite protection.
At the same time, the astronauts did not find the point at which the drill could rest if the hole was made from the inside of the ship.
Kononenko and Prokopyev took "smears" from the area of   the hole and samples of the sealant with which it was clogged.
After the completion of the work, the cosmonauts were given the command to “return home ”, RIA Novosti reports.
The samples should be delivered to Earth by Sergei Prokopyev, who will return on December 20 on the Soyuz MS-09.
The onboard compartment of the ship, in which the hole is found, will burn in the atmosphere during landing.
On August 30, an air leak occurred in the Soyuz spacecraft, which docked to the ISS on June 8.
The crew of the station carried out repairs and sealed the hole.
The Commission of the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (the manufacturer of the spacecraft) ruled out the version of the production defect.
The newspaper Kommersant reported that the hole could have been deliberately drilled by American astronauts in order to bring one of their sick colleagues to Earth as soon as possible.
Later, the head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said that the sealant on the outside of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft indicates that the hole was made on Earth.
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Because the damage was in the living module and not the descent capsule, the spacecraft’s return to Earth was not affected.

A separate slow air leak was detected in the Russian segment in 2019 and localized to the Zvezda module’s intermediate/transition chamber, where air loss temporarily increased before a Progress resupply docking. [3][4].

Title:

Content: NASA reported on the possible isolation of the module “Star ” on the ISS
The module of the International Space Station (ISS) “Star ” can be isolated forever if it is not possible to eliminate air leakage, reports“ Interfax ” with reference to NASA Director for the ISS program Robin Gatens.
“In the worst case scenario, we can permanently isolate this module, ” she said at a meeting of the committee on space exploration and manned flights of the Advisory Board of NASA.
At the same time, Gatens stressed that the situation with the Zvezda module does not pose a serious threat, there is a sufficient supply of air at the station.
The head of the press service of Roscosmos Dmitry Strugovets recalled that Russian cosmonauts Peter Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov in late December found a possible last place of air leakage in the intermediate chamber of the service module “Star ”.
Necessary to eliminate leakage means are planned to be delivered on the nearest cargo ship "Progress".
“The concern of our partners is unreasonable and surprising, ” he said (quoted by TASS).
The first crack in the intermediate chamber of the “Star ” cosmonauts discovered in October 2020.
It was sealed in March of this year, but the leakage of oxygen did not stop, although it decreased.
In total, three locations were found, including in the Zvezda intermediate chamber, where cracks could potentially form.
On February 24, 2021, the crew made a temporary isolation of all potential cracks to find out exactly whether there was a leak in these places.
At the end of April, the search was temporarily stopped, and the hatch in the compartment was closed.
In July, the ISS crew resumed the search for the site of air leakage in the Zvezda module.
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To pinpoint the site, the crew used methods including a tea bag in 2020 to watch airflow toward the crack in Zvezda.

Title:

Content: How did a bag of tea help astronauts save $150 billion?
How did a bag of tea help astronauts save $150 billion?
A few years ago, a torn bag helped save the ISS
The International Space Station was built in 1998 for $150 billion.
Every year, another 3-4 billion dollars are spent to maintain its operability, but the design is already very old and needs repair more and more often.
For example, in August 2020, a pressure drop was recorded aboard the space station, which is a sign of an air leak.
All astronauts and cosmonauts on board were isolated in the Russian Zvezda module.
After some time, it was found out that the air-permeable crack was in the module in which the entire crew temporarily settled.
One of the Russian cosmonauts was able to quickly find the place of leakage with the help of a usual tea bag.
Oxygen on the ISS
According to the India Times, the space station loses about 250 grams of oxygen every day and this is normal - it is difficult to achieve complete tightness.
In the event of an acute shortage of oxygen, it is delivered by cargo ships, but is most often produced directly at the station.
In the second case, members of the ISS use electrolysis - an electric current is passed through the water, as a result of which oxygen appears.
To do this, on board there is a life support system ECLSS, which not only monitors the operation of the station, but also provides people with access to water, protects against fires and so on.
ECLSS technical director Robyn Carrasquillo once praised Russia for using a way to extract moisture from the air, even in the old Salyut and Mir spacecraft.
ECLSS system
Oxygen leakage to the ISS
In August 2020, the space station began to lose about a kilogram of air per day.
The situation was serious, but the lives of the ISS crew were not threatened.
Astronauts from different countries temporarily began to live in the Russian module “Zvezda ” and for four days searched for a leak in other parts of the station.
The search did not give any results, so it became clear that the gap is in the Zvezda module launched more than 20 years ago.
The leak could have occurred for various reasons, for example, due to the collision of the ISS with space debris, which is a lot in near-Earth space.
Also, it was not excluded that seals simply peeled off from the walls of the station, which just do not allow oxygen to leak.
ISS module "Zvezda"
Search for the place of oxygen leakage
An unusual way to find the leak was found by cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin.
He installed several cameras in the module and opened the tea bag.
After some time, the ISS members noticed that the tea leaves began to move slowly towards one of the metal walls of the module.
After studying the trajectory of the leaves, the space crew quickly found the crack formed on the ISS.
First, they taped this place with tape, and then got permission to use a drill and sealant.
It is known that thanks to the trick with a package of tea, the astronauts managed to save about 150 billion dollars.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin
The International Space Station is aging and will one day become completely unusable – that ’ s a fact.
New cracks were discovered even in 2021.
Especially there are many of them in the Russian module “Zarya ”, which was launched into space in 1998 and today is the oldest part of the station.
More recently, Vladimir Solovyov, General Designer of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation, announced his concerns about the safety of the station.
It is especially frightening that the station is planned to be used even after 2025.
In theory, the use of the old station could cause a terrible disaster.
ISS module "Zarya"
Finally, I note that to replace the old module "Dawn" it was planned to send the module "Science".
But it became an independent module and docked to the ISS in July 2021.
The docking was far from perfect - the module deployed the station at 45 degrees.
19 october 2021 /
• 0
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When will he return to Earth?
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Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov monitored the cracks and carried out repair work after equipment arrived on a Progress cargo ship. [3].

Title:

Content: Possible location of air leak from the International Space Station
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International Space Station
Copy Link https: / / www.rt.com / s7a8
The media office of the Roscosmos Foundation announced that the Russian cosmonauts discovered in the unit "Zvezda", the possible place of air leakage from the International Space Station.
According to the information office, the materials and equipment needed to repair this place will be sent aboard the Progress cargo vehicle.
"The equipment and materials necessary to stop air leakage will be sent with the first Progress cargo vehicle launched to the International Space Station, to solve this problem once and for all," the statement said.
Astronauts Peter Dobrov and Anton Shkaplerov discovered the possible location of the air leak in December in the middle chamber of the Zvezda unit.
NASA has said it is considering isolating the Zvezda module completely if necessary.
The Roscosmos media office commented: “The concerns of our partners are unfounded and surprising. ”
Source: Novosti
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After Progress delivered repair materials, the crew sealed the cracks and restored the module’s tightness, reducing the leak rate to about 0.47 kg of air per day and at times to roughly 0.3 kg per day. [12].

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Russia and the United States will determine the causes of cracks that are looking for on the ISS from 2020
Russian and American experts during the meeting determine the reasons that led to the formation of cracks in the transition chamber (PrK) of the service module "Star" of the Russian segment of the ISS.
This was announced on Wednesday by the chief specialist (RSC) "Energy" (included in).
Photo: TASSTASS
“Now there is a meeting with American partners, why they [cracks] formed.
The first factor is age, <... > the second is technological solutions that eventually led to cracks, "Spirin said at the XLVII Academic Readings on Cosmonautics in memory of S. P. Korolev.
Video of the day
According to him, the leakage rate for the station is 325 grams per day.
“We stayed until 2019.
When the PrK was closed, we entered this norm, "the expert explained, stressing that if the camera is isolated and opened extremely rarely, then you can continue to fly to the ISS.
According to the presentation presented by Spirin, since the start of work on the search for the leak in September 2020, the damage to the shell has been localized and eliminated in three places.
"As a result of the work, the rate of air leakage from PrK was consistently reduced from 1.14 kg per day to 0.47 kg per day on a permanent basis and to 0.3 kg per day - on a temporary basis," the presentation emphasizes.
In March 2021, cosmonauts Roscosmos and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov carried out repair and restoration work on the housing of the Zvezda module, where they found a crack and a number of possible leaks.
All actions were carried out under the leadership of the Main Operational Group of the ISS Russian Segment and RSC Energia engineers and coordinated with specialists.
In mid-April 2022, a Roscosmos cosmonaut told reporters that air leakage had decreased three times after sealing the cracks.
XLVII Academic Readings on Cosmonautics in memory of S. P. Korolev (Royal Readings) are held at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University from January 24 to 27.

The principal sealing work on Zvezda was performed in March 2021 and coordinated step‑by‑step with RSC Energia engineers.

Throughout the event, NASA and Roscosmos stated the crew and station were not in danger, life support remained stable with sufficient reserves, and both agencies worked together to resolve the issue. [4][11][14].

Title:

Content: The Russian module of the ISS “Zvezda ” can be completely isolated due to air leakage
reads: 670
23.01.2022 23: 30
The Russian Zvezda module, which is one of the modules of the Russian segment of the International Space Station, could be permanently isolated due to air leakage.
This was reported by NASA Director for the ISS Robin Gatens, reports “Interfax ”.
She said that the situation with the module does not yet pose a serious threat to the ISS, but in the worst case, is considering the option of complete isolation of the “Star ”.
According to Gatens, NASA and Roscosmos are working together to eliminate air leakage in the module, but due to the small size of the crack, it is difficult to detect detectors and ultrasonic diagnostic tools.
In turn, Roscosmos said that the concern of their colleagues on the ISS “is not justified and is surprising. ”
According to the Russian Ministry, the cosmonauts found the site of the leak at the end of last month.
They promise to fix the problem when the Progress cargo ship delivers materials to the ISS.
Note that in the Russian segment of the space station repeatedly there were problems and other problems.
For the first time, an air leak in one of the modules was detected in September 2019, in October 2020, a crack was detected in the camera of the Zvezda module.
Recall that earlier it was reported that at the end of July 2021, after docking the Russian module “Science ” to the International space station, it turned on the engines, because of which the station began to move chaotically and for a time lost control over the orientation of the ISS.
Wikipedia: The International Space Station, Inc.
International Space Station (ISS).
ISS) is a manned orbital station used as a multi-purpose space research complex; it is operated from the end of 1998 to the present (the countries agreed to operate through 2024 inclusive, the extension of the period of operation to 2028, 2030 is being considered).
The ISS is a joint international project involving 14 countries: Russia, the United States, Japan, Canada and members of the European Space Agency Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, France, Switzerland, Sweden (originally the participants were Brazil and the United Kingdom).
The ISS is controlled by the Russian segment from the Space Flight Control Center in Korolev, the American segment from the Lyndon Johnson Flight Control Center in Houston.
The European Columbus and Japanese Kibo modules are controlled by the European Space Agency (Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Tsukuba).
There is a constant exchange of information between the centers.
Photofact

NASA considered isolating the Zvezda module if necessary, but this was not required once repairs held.

Officials subsequently reported the leak was fixed and the ISS continued operating safely.

Later inspections in 2021 found additional non‑through cracks in older Russian modules, but experts indicated the station could continue operating for many years with such minor flaws while maintenance proceeds.

Title:

Content: On the ISS found a place of possible air leakage in the module “Star ”
On the International Space Station, a place of possible air leakage in the Zvezda module was discovered.
The discovery of a "suspicious" place in the module compartment was reported by cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov during negotiations with the Flight Control Center.
“There was a suspicious place.
I was engaged in photographing it under a microscope with magnifying glasses, ” the cosmonaut quoted Interfax as saying.
Recall that in August 2020, air leakage to the ISS was detected in the transition chamber of the Zvezda module.
In October last year, cosmonauts managed to find the crack and repair it with temporary means.
In August 2021, the media reported the detection of non-through cracks in the Russian module of the ISS "Zarya".
Executive Director of Roscosmos for manned programs Sergei Krikalev said then that he had no information about new cracks at the station.
At the same time, the representative of the state corporation noted that even in the presence of non-through cracks, the ISS can be operated for another 20 years.
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Is the ISS going to be a space hotel?

For context, the station typically loses about 250 grams of oxygen daily due to normal permeability, rising to about 1 kilogram per day during the Zvezda episode, with the ECLSS system managing oxygen production and water supplies.