Russian Cosmonauts Discover Cracks On First ISS Module, Which Doesn’t Bode Well
Image via NASA
This week, a senior space official from NASA reported that Russian cosmonauts had discovered new cracks on the Zarya module of the International Space Station (ISS). There are fears that these fissures could gradually become worse.
According to a report by Reuters, 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.”
It doesn’t come as a surprise that cracks have started to appear on the module, considering the Zarya was the first component of the ISS ever launched, and has been in orbit since 1998. Solovyov said the ISS was beginning to show signs of its age, and that more equipment could begin up failing after 2025.
Earlier this year, Russian cosmonauts had sealed two small cracks in the Zvezda module, which hosts the cosmonauts’ living quarters and the ISS’ life support systems. Just last month, a Russian research module had also pushed the station out of place, as per Live Science.
These incidents don’t bode well for the well-worn space station, especially as it’s over two decades old. While NASA hasn’t said how the new cracks will be fixed, it’ll probably be up to the cosmonauts in space to patch up the ISS again.
[via Live Science, cover image via NASA]
Also check out these recent news
