NASA and Roscosmos Dispute Cause and Impact of ISS Air Leak
NASA and Roscosmos remain at odds regarding the cause and potential risks of an air leak in the Zvezda module of the International Space Station (ISS). NASA has raised concerns about the possibility of a “catastrophic failure,” while Roscosmos downplays the severity of the issue.
The debate resurfaced during a November 13 meeting of NASA’s ISS Advisory Committee, which discussed earlier talks with its Roscosmos counterpart in September. The focal point is a small, persistent air leak in the vestibule of the Zvezda service module, known as PrK, which separates a docking port from the rest of the module. The leak, present for several years, is managed by sealing off the area when not in use.
NASA and Roscosmos differ in their analysis of the leak. Russian engineers attribute it to “hig...
