Noxious leak triggers ISS alarm
Posted: Mon, Sep 18, 2006, 8:59 PM ET (0059 GMT)
The crew of the International Space Station sounded an alarm Monday morning after initially reporting smoke inside the station, which later turned out to be the leak of a noxious chemical from an oxygen generator. The ISS crew reported smelling smoke inside the Zvezda service module and apparently reported smoke at one point. The source of the odor turned out to be a leak of potassium hydroxide from the station's Elektron oxygen generator, which was shut down. The crew donned gloves and surgical masks to deal with the leak, but did not have to put on gas masks at any point. The odor itself was likely caused by an overheated rubber gasket in the unit. The problem will not affect ISS activities, including Wednesday's docking of a Soyuz spacecraft carrying a replacement crew and commercial passenger.
The crew of the International Space Station sounded an alarm Monday morning after initially reporting smoke inside the station, which later turned out to be the leak of a noxious chemical from an oxygen generator. The ISS crew reported smelling smoke inside the Zvezda service module and apparently reported smoke at one point. The source of the odor turned out to be a leak of potassium hydroxide from the station's Elektron oxygen generator, which was shut down. The crew donned gloves and surgical masks to deal with the leak, but did not have to put on gas masks at any point. The odor itself was likely caused by an overheated rubber gasket in the unit. The problem will not affect ISS activities, including Wednesday's docking of a Soyuz spacecraft carrying a replacement crew and commercial passenger.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
China launches first Long March 12A, but booster landing fails
Posted: Sun, Dec 28 9:50 AM ET (1450 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, December 31
European Space Agency Probes Cyber Breach
Aviation Week — 6:59 am ET (1159 GMT) ESA at 50: What Europe’s space agency means for startups today
Tech.eu — 6:58 am ET (1158 GMT) USSPACECOM hosts first AI-enabled summit
US Space Command — 6:57 am ET (1157 GMT) Inside Rocket Lab's effort to outpace larger space rivals
PBS NewsHour — 6:56 am ET (1156 GMT) Vandenberg Issues RFI For Heavy-Lift Launch Site Development
Aviation Week — 6:56 am ET (1156 GMT) |
