spacetoday.net: Slow air leak detected on ISS

Posted: Mon, Jan 5, 2004, 8:10 PM ET (0110 GMT)
ISS illustration (NASA)

Flight controllers have noticed a small, unexplained loss of air pressure on the International Space Station, but noted that it does not pose a risk to the station's two-man crew. The Associated Press reported that the leak was first noticed on Thursday and that the station's air pressure has dropped by 9 mm of mercury, or a little over one percent. The crew of Michael Foale and Alexander Kaleri reported that they had checked valves in the US and Russian segments of the station and found no evidence of a leak. A NASA ISS status report issued Monday provided slightly different details, saying the leak was first noticed on December 28 and that the air pressure had dropped by a total of 11 mm of mercury, but had stabilized. Mission controllers told the crew as they were preparing to sleep that they would continue to check into the problem on the ground and may request some additional investigation by the crew on Tuesday.