Update on Space Station’s Radiator Leak

The Expedition 70 crew worked throughout Tuesday, October 10, on space physics and human research aboard the International Space StationThe International Space Station (ISS) is a large spacecraft in orbit around the Earth that serves as a research laboratory and spaceport for international collaboration in space exploration. It was launched in 1998 and has been continuously occupied by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts from around the world since 2000. The ISS is a joint project of five space agencies: NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). It orbits the Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles), and provides a unique platform for scientific research, technological development, and human space exploration.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>International Space Station (ISS). Two astronauts are also gearing up for a spacewalk on Thursday to determine if microorganisms can survive the harsh environment of outer space. There is also an update on the radiator coolant leak.

Tuesday morning, the orbital residents focused their science activities on a variety of physics research hardware. NASAEstablished in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government that succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). It is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Its vision is "To discover and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity." Its core values are "safety, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and inclusion." NASA conducts research, develops technology and launches missions to explore and study Earth, the solar system, and the universe beyond. It also works to advance the state of knowledge in a wide range of scientific fields, including Earth and space science, planetary science, astrophysics, and heliophysics, and it collaborates with private companies and international partners to achieve its goals.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara installed new components and reconnected power and data cables on the Cold Atom Lab, a device that observes the quantum behavior of atoms chilled to near absolute zeroAbsolute zero is the theoretical lowest temperature on the thermodynamic temperature scale. At this temperature, all atoms of an object are at rest and the object does not emit or absorb energy. The internationally agreed-upon value for this temperature is −273.15 °C (−459.67 °F; 0.00 K).” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>absolute zero. Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa of JAXAFormed in 2003, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was born through the merger of three institutions, namely the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan (NAL) and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). JAXA performs various activities related to aerospace, from basic research in the aerospace field to development and utilization and is responsible for research, technology development, and launch of satellites into orbit, and is involved in advanced missions such as asteroid exploration and possible human exploration of the Moon.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) set up combustion experiment gear in the Kibo laboratory module to study how microgravity affects flames and improve fire safety on spacecraft.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli prepares external hardware for retraction inside the Kibo laboratory module’s airlock aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

O’Hara then joined fellow NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli in the Columbus laboratory module for vein scans. Moghbeli operated the Ultrasound 2 device and scanned O’Hara’s neck, shoulder, and leg veins with assistance from doctors on the ground.

Preparations for Thursday’s Spacewalk

At the end of the day, both astronauts joined up with Furukawa and Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space AgencyThe European Space Agency (ESA) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to the exploration and study of space. ESA was established in 1975 and has 22 member states, with its headquarters located in Paris, France. ESA is responsible for the development and coordination of Europe's space activities, including the design, construction, and launch of spacecraft and satellites for scientific research and Earth observation. Some of ESA's flagship missions have included the Rosetta mission to study a comet, the Gaia mission to create a 3D map of the Milky Way, and the ExoMars mission to search for evidence of past or present life on Mars.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>European Space Agency) and discussed robotics procedures planned for Thursday’s spacewalk. Moghbeli and Furukawa will be at the controls of the Canadarm2 robotic arm assisting O’Hara and Mogensen when they exit the station on Thursday for a six-hour spacewalk that starts at 10 a.m. EDT.

Mogensen and O’Hara earlier worked in the Quest airlock organizing the spacewalking tools they will use on Thursday to swab station surfaces and determine if microbes can live in the external conditions of microgravity. Moghbeli and Furukawa trained on a computer for the robotics maneuvers necessary to support the spacewalkers.

Expedition 70 Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) assists NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli as she tries on her spacesuit and tests its components aboard the International Space Station’s Quest airlock in preparation for an upcoming spacewalk. Credit: NASA

Technology Research and Cargo Operations

Also on Tuesday, two cosmonauts worked on a pair of technology studies exploring 3D printing and space navigation. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub tested the on-demand manufacturing, or 3D printing, of tools in microgravity to help crews become less dependent on supplies launched from Earth. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov photographed landmarks on Earth for an experiment collecting data to improve high-precision data for determining the location of the space station.

Veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko spent Tuesday working inside the Progress 85 (85P) cargo craft docked to the aft port of the Zvezda service module. The five-time station visitor first transferred water stowed inside the 85P into liquid containers aboard the RoscosmosRoscosmos, also known as the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, is the Russian government agency responsible for space activities, including the development and operation of spacecraft, launch vehicles, and space stations. It was formed in 2015 through the merger of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and the United Rocket and Space Corporation. Roscosmos is responsible for Russia's space program and works closely with other international space agencies on joint projects, such as the International Space Station. The agency is also involved in a wide range of space-related activities, including scientific research, earth observation, telecommunications, and manned spaceflight.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>Roscosmos segment of the orbiting lab. Afterward, Kononenko unpacked cargo from the 85P, stowed the new supplies in the appropriate station modules, and updated inventory systems.

Update on Radiator Leak

The coolant leak from a backup radiator on the station’s Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) has ceased, as was reported by Roscosmos flight controllers and evidenced by NASA external station camera views, which show only residual coolant droplets.

The primary radiator on Nauka continues to work normally, providing full cooling to the module with no impacts to the crew or to space station operations.

The radiator was delivered to the space station on the Rassvet module during space shuttle mission STS-132 in 2010. It was transferred to the Nauka during a Roscosmos spacewalk in April.

Teams on the ground continue to investigate the cause of the leak, and additional updates will be made as available.