Russia appears set to finally address long-term, serious space station cracks
Summary
Russia has been working to fix long-term cracks in a part of the International Space Station (ISS) attached to the Russian Zvezda module. NASA briefly asked its astronauts to take shelter in a spacecraft due to concerns about these cracks, but Russia later adjusted its repair plans, and normal activities resumed on the ISS.Key Facts
- The cracks are in the PrK module, an older part of the Russian segment of the ISS.
- The issue started in 2019 and involves corrosion that causes leaks when air pressure changes.
- Russian cosmonauts have been using a sealant to try to stop the leaks.
- The cracks worsened again in early 2024, leading to new Russian repair efforts.
- NASA was worried that the Russian repair methods might cause bigger problems and temporarily put astronauts in the Crew Dragon spacecraft as a safety measure.
- Russia delayed some repair work after further inspections and discussions with NASA.
- The PrK module is important because it connects to cargo ships that deliver supplies to the ISS.
- Both NASA and Russia have been monitoring and managing this problem quietly for years.
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