A Mysterious Smell Shuts Down Access to a Russian Ship Docked at the International Space Station
Last week, a Russian cargo spaceship, Progress 90, delivered supplies to the Poisk module where Russian cosmonauts reside on the International Space Station (ISS). While the docking maneuver was successful, a strange odor and strange liquid droplets were detected inside the module, prompting a swift response from the crew.
"Cosmonauts from Roscosmos noticed an unexpected smell and small liquid droplets," according to NASA.
Although NASA hasn’t divulged the nature of the smell or the source of the droplets, the incident raised significant concerns. Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, sealed off the Poisk module from the rest of the ISS.
The crew donned protective suits momentarily as a precaution. The Russian SpaceWeb portal, which monitors communication between mission control in Houston and the ISS, confirmed these safety measures.
As a precaution, the team initiated a process to cleanse the air and monitor the environment. Air purifiers and sensors tirelessly analyzed the station’s atmosphere. By the next day, NASA confirmed through readings that air quality had returned to normal within the ISS.
Later the same day, the crew cautiously reopened the module. While a cause still hasn’t been officially determined, NASA suggests that the unusual odor may have been a result of gasses released from materials within the Progress 90 cargo ship’s pressurized section.
This proximity comes after news of a looming deadline for the ISS itself. Multiple reports indicate NASA’s intention to phase out the aging space station by 2030, marking the end of an era for this iconic symbol of international collaboration. But while the future of the ISS remains uncertain, the incident with Progress 90 serves as a potent reminder of the inherent challenges and risks involved in human space exploration.
The ISS, a testament to human ingenuity and international cooperation, has been orbiting Earth for over 25 years. Its history began back in 1998, culminating in its final assembly form in 2011. However, these colossal developments come at a high cost. With over half the financing coming from the United States and a yearly operational cost of around $3 Billion, there’s growing debate on the ISS’s future viability.
As NASA focuses on partnering with private companies to develop new venues for research in low Earth orbit, the fate of the ISS hangs in the balance. Only time will tell whether this remarkable feat of engineering will continue to grace our skies or make way for a new generation of space platforms.
