A small part of the International Space Station, which has been experiencing frequent leaks for years, appears to have stopped circulating the atmosphere into space.
The leak was caused by microstructural cracks inside the small PRK module on the Russian segment of the space station, which is located between the Progress spacecraft airlock and the Zvezda module. The problem has long been a concern for the station’s Russian and American operators, especially after the leakage rate is expected to double in 2024. This prompted NASA officials to label the leak as a “high probability” and “high consequence” risk.
However, two sources recently indicated that the leaks have stopped. And now NASA has confirmed it.
“to stand still”
“Following additional inspection and sealing activities, the pressure in the transfer tunnel attached to the International Space Station’s Zvezda Service Module, known as the PRK, remains stable at the stable configuration,” space agency spokesman Josh Finch told Ars. “NASA and Roscosmos continue to monitor and investigate previously observed cracks for any future changes.”
For more than half a decade, Russian astronauts have been searching for tiny leaks, like the proverbial needle in a haystack. They would periodically close the hatch leading to the PRK module and then, upon reopening it, look for small accumulations of dust to indicate leak sites.
Russian astronauts would then apply a sealant called Germatol-1 (which is now patented) to the cracks. They will close the hatch again, monitor the pressure inside the PRK module, and begin a fresh search for additional leaks. This sequence continued for years.
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