w December International Space Station operators have detected a leak of an initially unknown substance from the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft docked to the ISS. Initially, it was possible to determine that the capsule’s external cooling system was damaged and the coolant was leaking into the space.
Roskosmos together with the American agency NASA they have since been trying to determine whether it is possible to repair the Soyuz in space. This is especially important because the spacecraft was supposed to deliver three people from orbit to Earth in March: two Russians and one American.
It was a meteoroid that hit the Soyuz. He must return to Earth empty
Now the Russian space agency has completed its research on this matter. How carried by Reuters, Roskosmos discovered the cause of the failure, and it turned out to be a small meteoroid that accidentally hit the cooling system of the Soyuz spacecraft. The stone pierced the capsule shell and made a hole less than 1 mm in diameter. However, this was enough for the coolant to completely escape within hours of the impact.
The Russians have decided that the repair and safe return of cosmonauts and astronauts to Earth with the damaged Soyuz MS-22 is impossible. The capsule is expected to be lifted from unmanned orbit sooner than planned, making room for the next Soyuz MS-23. It will be sent to the ISS on February 20 this year. and it is on board that two Russians and an American will return to Earth in March.
NASA has already announced that it wants to be ready accident the immobilization of the Soyuz at the ISS and the lack of transport for the crew members assigned to the Russian capsule. A request has even been sent to SpaceX to determine the possibility of carrying out a space mission and bringing people using the Dragon capsule. It was unclear whether the Russians would be able to organize another one quantity another copy of the Soyuz.
The Russians had to postpone the spacewalk
It is worth mentioning that the sudden loss of coolant from the Soyuz took a heavy toll on the Russians. When the fault was detected, two astronauts already wearing space suits were inside the airlock, waiting for it to be depressurized. The walk was supposed to last 6 hours and 40 minutes, but had to be cut short. The airlock was filled with air and the cosmonauts returned to the ISS.
NASA described the Soyuz leak as “pretty serious” but stressed in communications that it was about the safety of astronauts on the International Space Station. An American press conference on the incident is also scheduled for the afternoon.
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