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The Russian-made Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft is seen docked to the Rassvet module of the International Space Station (ISS). The laboratory module of Russia’s Nauka station is seen in the background, with a folded European robotic arm. Photo/NASA
The president of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS), Tommaso Sgobba, said the Soyuz spacecraft had been “damaged beyond repair”. This condition rendered Soyuz MS-22 unable to return three astronauts to Earth.
“From what I can see from the pictures, this is a huge coolant leak. Therefore, Soyuz is no longer available for operation,” Sgobba told Space.com on Saturday (12/17/2022).
Read also; Russian Soyuz spacecraft escapes, 7 astronauts on ISS are temporarily safe
Footage shows a spectacular coolant leak from a Russian Soyuz capsule on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, convincing the top spaceflight safety expert that the craft is most likely no longer fit to fly. This condition poses a major safety risk to residents of the International Space Station (ISS).
“We have lost the crew evacuation system. This is most likely the first time a space station hasn’t had the full capacity of a lifeboat,” Sgobba said.
So, if an emergency accident occurs on the ISS, of the 7 existing astronauts, only 4 can be evacuated with the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Meanwhile, the other 3 astronauts had to wait on the ISS until the next rescue mission arrived.
“The only thing that can be done is for Russia to send a replacement Soyuz, but that’s not something that happens in a day or two. Even if the life-saving capability in the space station is related to life issues,” he told her.
Read also; Russia assesses Soyuz MS-22 losses by activating thruster engine, results surprise
As for the cause of the crash, Sgobba is inclined to believe that the coolant reservoir may have been impacted by large space debris, although valve damage is another possible cause.
“The leak is huge, it could be a leaking fuel hole or something. I’m guessing it hit some kind of larger object, not a micrometeorite because the spacecraft is designed to withstand the impact of small objects,” he said. explained.
(wib)
