NASA and Russian space officials are at odds over the significance of a long-standing air leak aboard the International Space Station.The leak, originating from a Russian module, has reportedly persisted for about five years. Don Platt, an associate professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, explained the potential risks.“There’s definitely concerns about this leak and the potential for it to get worse over time,” Platt said.While NASA views the issue as a serious safety concern, Moscow insists the situation is under control and the module is safe.“NASA is quite concerned about it, and the Russians are more or less saying, ‘We have it under control. Don’t worry about it,’” Platt said.The affected module is one of the oldest on the station, having been operational for more than 20 years.“One of the Russian modules on the space station, one of the oldest, is starting to lose some of the air that astronauts need to breathe,” he said.According to Platt, each country is responsible for maintaining the safety and functionality of its respective modules on the ISS.“Each country has its own responsibilities in terms of the parts of the space station, and the Russians, in the end, are responsible for their part of the space station,” he explained.Russia claims its repairs have reduced the leak, but NASA remains unconvinced, citing a lack of reliable proof and the absence of a clear root cause.“Each country is supposed to make sure their part is safe and operational,” Platt said.As the ISS approaches its planned 2030 retirement, Platt warns that similar issues could become more frequent.“2030 is well beyond the original planned lifetime of the station, which was about 15 years,” Platt said. “We can expect to see more parts of the space station — movable parts, motors, gears, seals and welds — failing as we move forward. This may become more common in the coming years.”The disagreement underscores the challenges of international collaboration in maintaining the aging space station as its mission nears its conclusion.
NASA and Russian space officials are at odds over the significance of a long-standing air leak aboard the International Space Station.
The leak, originating from a Russian module, has reportedly persisted for about five years. Don Platt, an associate professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, explained the potential risks.
“There’s definitely concerns about this leak and the potential for it to get worse over time,” Platt said.
While NASA views the issue as a serious safety concern, Moscow insists the situation is under control and the module is safe.
“NASA is quite concerned about it, and the Russians are more or less saying, ‘We have it under control. Don’t worry about it,’” Platt said.
The affected module is one of the oldest on the station, having been operational for more than 20 years.
“One of the Russian modules on the space station, one of the oldest, is starting to lose some of the air that astronauts need to breathe,” he said.
According to Platt, each country is responsible for maintaining the safety and functionality of its respective modules on the ISS.
“Each country has its own responsibilities in terms of the parts of the space station, and the Russians, in the end, are responsible for their part of the space station,” he explained.
Russia claims its repairs have reduced the leak, but NASA remains unconvinced, citing a lack of reliable proof and the absence of a clear root cause.
“Each country is supposed to make sure their part is safe and operational,” Platt said.
As the ISS approaches its planned 2030 retirement, Platt warns that similar issues could become more frequent.
“2030 is well beyond the original planned lifetime of the station, which was about 15 years,” Platt said. “We can expect to see more parts of the space station — movable parts, motors, gears, seals and welds — failing as we move forward. This may become more common in the coming years.”
The disagreement underscores the challenges of international collaboration in maintaining the aging space station as its mission nears its conclusion.