NASA has detected an air leak in the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS). The leak was discovered in early May after Russian cosmonauts completed unloading the Progress 95 cargo ship. The source of the problem is the PrK module, which serves as a transition tunnel to the Zvezda service module.
Context and Background
The air leak on the ISS is not a new problem. In January of this year, NASA officially confirmed that the leak had been completely eliminated. However, the problem has now returned, and NASA and Roscosmos have decided to maintain a reduced pressure in the leak zone with periodic re-pressurization.
Industry Impact
The air leak on the ISS can pose a risk to the crew and station operations. NASA and Roscosmos are coordinating their actions to resolve this issue. However, this may affect plans to extend the ISS's service life until 2032.