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Minor Leak Being Investigated Aboard the ISS

Posted by Zonk on from the wasn't-aware-there-was-such-a-thing-as-a-minor-leak-in-space dept.

Josh Fink writes "Space.com is reporting that the International Space Station has a minor atmosphere leak. 'An inspection of a vestibule bridging the station's new Harmony connecting module and NASA's Destiny laboratory indicated a slight air leak of about three pounds (1.3 kilograms) per day ..A close-up inspection of the vestibule seal by the station's three-astronaut Expedition 16 crew using an ultrasonic leak detector found no trace of a leak on Wednesday, [NASA spokesperson Lynette Madison] said. Studies of the station's overall internal pressure also found no signs of decay, she added.' While this is yet another technical issue with the ISS, when will this end? I am all for the space program, but there have been some major issues lately."

1 of 219 comments (clear)

  1. Re:3 lbs a day!? by Retric · · Score: 0, Redundant

    It depends on temperature and pressure but at Standard Atmospheric Pressure and 20 degrees Celsius
    air weighs 1.2 kg/m^3 or 2.6 pounds/m^3.

    So it's only 1.15 cubic meters or 49 cubic feet of air per day. My guess is the hole is around 2mm or 1/10th of an inch in size.