Russia Finds More ISS Leaks
Russian cosmonauts find new cracks in ISS module, Reuters
“Russian cosmonauts have discovered new cracks in a segment of the International Space Station that could widen, a senior space official said on Monday, the latest in a series of setbacks. “Superficial fissures have been found in some places on the Zarya module,” Vladimir Solovyov, chief engineer of rocket and space corporation Energia, told RIA news agency. “This is bad and suggests that the fissures will begin to spread over time.”
I remember the same cracks happened to MIR. THe life of the ISS is limited it appears. Repair/replacement is possible, howwvere to cost model may not be good, deorbit posible.
I didn’t think you could replace Zarya module. That was the first module launched and everything built off of that. You would have separate ISS into two big pieces to to replace it without the shuttle I’m not sure it can be done.
I think you are correct, keep inspections going on Zarya. The idea for MIR was depressure and isolate. The thermal stresses are a big issue for non-insulated modules, the structure will show cracks from work harding the structure, Same issue for Pressurised airliners.
The balance of the ISS may have the same issues. It is not clear how to inspect or isolate for repair.
I wouldn’t think that subsonic aircraft have much of a problem with thermal stresses. The main problem that airliners have is that they are subject to thousands of cycles of pressurization changes over their lifetime. Although I suppose that the end result is similar to the flexing that ISS modules go through due to the extreme changes in temperature.
Certainly there isn’t much in the way of prior experience for habitable space modules being in service for over twenty years. The oldest Mir modules were up there for about fifteen years. So this seems to be uncharted territory.
It is not as cold and hot as ISS, however, at altitude airliners it does get sort of cold and hot on landing, The pressure cycles also help to work harden the material.
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I think most ISS modules have thermal blankets outside to help regulate temps for thermal/pressure cycles.
Inspection were never planned it appears, at least not on US ISS modules, the Russian have experience with this on MIR.
It would be very difficult to extract the Zarya, it is in the center with many things attached to it. The Zvezda could be detached and jettisoned, that is what should be done. But then we would need a module that was in charge of orbit raising if necessary, etc.
Only problem is that Bigelow Aerospace is no longer active, and Axiom Space is nowhere near ready to even demonstrate their own versions of a private version of their space station.
I wonder what American Astronaut they will blame this on.
Hopefully a full risk assessment is being completed by all ISS partners, not just Roscosmos, and a serious evaluation as to the viability and safety of maintaining a crew going forward. As many have noted, this technological wonder does have a finite shelf-life and is interdependent on all modules working reliably together, no matter which nation’s agency is responsible for it.
At what point do these continued issues with the Russian hardware become a game-stopper and will NASA have the where with all to recognize that point and move on from the ISS?
Makes you wonder why Sen. Nelson was bragging about ISS extension out to 2030 when the Russian segment is in terminal decline. I get the feeling all the station partners know its days are numbered but are in denial about it. Then we have the situation regarding commercial crew and cargo: what happens to all of that investment if the ISS is deorbited in 2025? I seriously doubt Axiom will get a single module docked before then (or as an orbital free flyer) and Lunar Gateway is nowhere near first element launch let alone hosting astronauts. ISS is the West’s only place in space unless the U.S. government cozies up with and grovels to China for bed and board for NASA’s finest.
Congress, through NASA, has not thrown any money at this problem yet. I can not imagine members in congress will allow China having the only space station, to much of a status symbol. Trips to LEO are always going to be the cheapest place to go.
It’s definitely time to start working on an “ISS2” (lacking a better project name at short notice). Maybe, to cut costs, all NASA should do is fund a core module and maybe a primary stability/orbital control module and then just act only as the oversight and final review body for public/private-funded modules provided by commercial companies.
No-one doubts that the ISS does useful science that should continue. However, it is no longer plausibly a ‘NASA Prototype’ project to build an orbital laboratory. It isn’t even a NASA role to supply and crew it, thanks to SpaceX and Orbital (and, soon, Sierra Nevada).
P.S.: A mischievous part of me wonders if a certain RCS malfunction only a few weeks ago might have exacerbated existing thermal expansion/contraction stress fractures in Zarya’s hull.
Time to start working on a rotating artificial gravity station. ISS has shown that humans do not tolerate prolonged zero g perfectly.
For a pressure hull welded in the 1980’s intended to only last 15 years max and launched with issues, it’s holding up well. NASA needs to plan for the next station now. Before everyone comes home unexpectedly one day and crews have no place to go.
Folks keep telling me that the carrousel ride they took the station on a little while ago couldn’t have caused structural damage. Was I told wrong?