On the Russian segment of the International Space Station, specialists have discovered two possible air leak locations in the transfer chamber of the Zvezda service module. New data emerged after an additional check of the compartment's airtightness during the pressurization of the chamber to a level corresponding to the conditions on board the station.
After detecting the anomaly, the crew performed a detailed inspection of the transfer chamber. One of the suspicious areas has already been treated: cosmonauts applied the first layer of a special two-component sealing compound "Germetall-1".
The second suspected leak location is on the conical part of the transfer chamber. Currently, specialists are continuing preparations for its sealing and clarifying the characteristics of the damage.
From a technical point of view, such work belongs to the most complex operations for maintaining an orbital station. Even insignificant microcracks can lead to a gradual loss of atmosphere, so engineers use a complex of diagnostic methods to accurately determine the source of the leak.
The official comment emphasizes that there is no threat to the crew. The pressure inside the station remains stable and is maintained at the calculated level. This means that life support systems continue to operate normally, and the leak itself is under the control of specialists.
It should be noted that the search for sources of air loss in the Zvezda transfer chamber has been ongoing for several years. During this time, engineers have used various diagnostic technologies, including local isolation of compartments and sequential sealing of suspicious areas. New data has significantly narrowed the search area and allowed for targeted repairs.
NASA and Roscosmos have been discussing the air leak problem in the Zvezda service module for several months. According to a high-ranking NASA official who wished to remain anonymous, while air losses were previously insignificant – about one pound per day – they doubled on Monday, June 1.
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