Close call: ISS cosmonauts narrowly avoid coolant leak crisis
Dangerous incident on the International Space Station: A Russian cosmonaut was warned about a potential threat from a coolant leak. It was a close call, and the remains of the coolant nearly contaminated Oleg Kononenko's suit.
Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub took part in a spacewalk on the International Space Station to inspect its technical condition. It was discovered that the temperature in one of the laboratory modules was notably rising.
The cosmonauts checked the condition of the external radiator among other things. They observed several holes on the surface of the device, which appeared as if they had been deliberately drilled. The mission engineer noted that there were numerous holes.
After conducting detailed inspections, the cosmonauts concluded that the gaps were not their primary concern. Near the radiator, they spotted a large patch of coolant. They started to clean up the liquid, but the leak proved difficult to manage.
The coolant soaked, among other things, the tether securing Kononenko. The astronaut's superiors identified the dangerous situation. They instructed him to evacuate the contaminated area.
The cosmonaut had to relocate to a safe zone to prevent contamination of his suit. The Russian confirmed to his superiors that the liquid had not penetrated his suit.
The "Lad Bible" portal reports that the astronauts had special wipes available, with which they thoroughly disinfected their equipment. The Russian agency stated that the coolant system on the space station was not seriously damaged, and the lives of the cosmonauts are not at risk.
