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NASA on Alert: International Space Station Springs a Leak Ammonia Coolant Leaking out into Space
Thursday, May 9, 2013 23:07
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May 10,2013
NASA on Alert: International Space Station Springs a Leak
Ammonia Coolant Leaking out into Space
It’s going to be a tense 24 hours for the crew of the International Space Station after Commander Chris Hadfield reported that the ammonia coolant used in the station’s power systems appears to be leaking into space.
“There’s a very steady stream of flakes or bits coming out as the truss is rotating,” he said in a discussion with Mission Control. “All of us agree they are coming mainly and repeatedly enough that it looks like a point source that they were coming from.”
NASA is now focusing all available cameras on the predicted source of the leak and is waiting for the ISS to move into full sunlight so they can see what’s going on. The crew is currently in the station’s gym to try and get a better look at the problem.
Chilled ammonia is used on the ISS to cool down the solar arrays that provide electricity for life support and other functions.
There have been leaks before in the system, and one spacewalk to effect repairs last year, but this case looks to be more serious and it may be in the same area as the earlier repair.
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