The leaked Russian Soyuz MS-22 space capsule left the International Space Station (ISS), Tuesday (28/3/2023) morning. Photos/NASA TV/Space
The leaked Soyuz MS-22 capsule lifted off from its docking station in the Russian-built Rassvet module on the International Space Station (ISS) at 5.57 a.m. EDT (0957 GMT). The Soyuz returned to Earth on a swift landing and touched down in the steppe of Kazakhstan at 7:45 am EDT (1145 GMT).
“This de-orbit and descent to Earth went smoothly,” said the Roscosmos official in an official statement via Telegram after landing, quoted by SINDOnews from the Space page, Tuesday (28/3/2023). The image shows the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft parachuting down and staying on its side after landing.
Russian engineers immediately examined the leaking Soyuz MS-22 capsule to determine the cause of the coolant leak and how it was performing. The Soyuz space capsule experienced a large coolant leak on December 14, 2022 making it unfit for use.
The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft was used by Roscosmos to launch Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitri Petelin and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio to the International Space Station in September 2022. Roscosmos engineers suspect the leak occurred as a result of a micrometeoroid impact.
Although unmanned, the Soyuz MS-22 module returns to Earth carrying a number of heat-resistant science experiments. According to Roscosmos the Soyuz MS-22 carries an old navigation module, an arm of the Russian Orlan space suit, a TV camera and other equipment.
“About 218 kilograms of cargo, including the results of scientific experiments and ISS equipment for analysis or reuse are expected to arrive on Earth on Soyuz MS-22,” a Roscosmos official said according to a TASS news report.
The recovery team will retrieve the Soyuz capsule after landing so it can be studied to better understand how the coolant leak occurred. Including, researching how the landing conditions without coolant to help future missions.
(wib)
