Cracks Found In The International Space Station: Are Astronauts Safe?
The International Space Station can't catch a break! Russian cosmonauts recently discovered cracks in one of the modules situated in their side of the ISS which could spread to the rest of the station.?
The director of ISS's Russian segment Vladimir Solovyov told RIA on Monday that "superficial fissures" were detected on the Zarya module of the station."This is bad and suggests that the fissures will begin to spread over time", a Reuters report cited him as saying.?
Why the ISS is struggling
The International Space Station is ageing, like most current Earth technology in space which hasn't been updated in the last two decades. The Russian segment was actually the first one to be launched in November 1998.?
Previously, Solovyov warned against an "avalanche" of old equipment after 2025 if extensive repairs are not undertaken to preserve the International Space Station.?
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Just last month, a software glitch sent the ISS spinning out of control. The Russians blamed it on human error. The research module called "Nauka" reignited its jet thrusters a few hours after docking, which moved the ISS from its normal position in Earth's orbit.?
Other Russian segments have also suffered over the last year. Last month, Roscosmos (Russia's space agency) reported a drop a pressure drop in another module called Zvezda caused by an air leak. It is here that crew members live on the ISS.?
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Are astronauts aboard the station safe?
No air leaks have been reported so far and the astronauts are safe for now. But if such instances become common, the lives of those on board could be in peril, especially considering the needs of the station greatly outstrip the number of humans (six, to be precise) on board the ISS.?
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Roscosmos is set to remain part of the ISS until 2024, but has shown interest in extending its stay at the station which is operated jointly by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Roscosmos, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), European Space Agency (ESA), and Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Its usage is defined by intergovernmental treaties and agreements.
What do you think about the cracks developing inside the International Space Station? Should the world collaborate and build a brand new space station? Let us know in the comments section below, and keep reading Indiatimes.com for your daily dose of space, science and technology news.
