There's a hole in my space station

[johnfosteruk]

Dear Liza...

Actually it's in the Soyuz orbit module (which isn't involved in the descent so that's fine) and it's 2mm diameter.

Alexander Gerst plugged it with his thumb at first, then tape while a permanent solution was sought.

The internet at large is talking lots of rubbish about it of course

Here's a write up.

http://www.astronomy.com/news/2018/08/international-space-station-losing-air-through-a-tiny-hole-astronauts-safe

 

 

[Alan White]

Sealed by Herr Gersts thumb, my things have moved on from Apollo 13.
 

[david_taurus83]

The headline I seen was that there was a leak on the "Russian side". Why it was stated as the Russian side, I can only guess is the usual media bashing of all things Russia. Is it not an INTERNATIONAL Space Station?

[johnfosteruk]

24 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

 Is it not an INTERNATIONAL Space Station?

That relies completely (for at least a little while longer) on Russia for crew transportation.

[Ags]

2mm hole? That's huge! What caused it?

[david_taurus83]

3 minutes ago, johnfosteruk said:

That relies completely (for at least a little while longer) on Russia for crew transportation.

The Soyuz has been the most reliable after all.

 

The way the article I refer to was headed did appear to cast a somewhat negative impression on the notion it was a leak on the "Russian side". But hey ho, western media...

 

Let us not digress. Hope they get it sorted and it doesn't escalate.

[Gina]

Gosh that thing is very cramped - seems to be all narrow corridors!

[JimothyC]

Does anyone else on here watch Scott Manley's videos? He gives a pretty good overview of the situation here. 

 

[johnfosteruk]

20 minutes ago, JimothyC said:

Does anyone else on here watch Scott Manley's videos? He gives a pretty good overview of the situation here. 

 

I saw that. I liked his little Dutch boy comment!

[Stub Mandrel]

Lucky it wasn't behind a wardrobe. Actually, what would they do if it was behind a critical panel? I doubt they can access all of the 'skin'.

Presumably a micrometeorite, I wonder if they can find it, although it probably vapourised.

[Stub Mandrel]

9 hours ago, johnfosteruk said:

I saw that. I liked his little Dutch boy comment!

They need a bit of epoxy putty.

Presumably the only real danger would be of a crack propagating.

[johnfosteruk]

43 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

They need a bit of epoxy putty.

Presumably the only real danger would be of a crack propagating.

I’ll find the Araldite!

[Macavity]

The plot (like my recently used body-filler project) thickens! ?
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/sep/05/space-station-air-leak-someone-drilled-the-hole-say-russians
Openness! But not convinced widening the "discussion" to TWITTER etc. was the best move... ?

Looks suspiciously like one of my "Friday afternoon" DIY jobs though! ?

[Ags]

It doesn't look like there was any reason to drill a hole just there?

[SIDO]

Rumor is now some astronaut drilled through the hull by accident, they at the time I read this scuttle if true were attempting to find out who the happy driller is. Fortunately the space station is really not is space and is just in low earth orbit so we can assist the crew if a trouble becomes a threat. I was thinking space junk, meteor when the news first broke but drilling a hole in my boat while out fishing never crossed my mind.

[Kn4fty]

Looks like a job for Flex tape and Flex seal! It's like a repairman in a can!

[SIDO]

51 minutes ago, Kn4fty said:

Looks like a job for Flex tape and Flex seal! It's like a repairman in a can!

Should be an extra button for gut hurt laughter ?

[Kn4fty]

SIDO, I'm not sure if that's strictly a US product or if it's gone world wide. I guess I've seen those commercials too often. All I could think about when I heard about the hole in ISS! Hahahaha

[Stub Mandrel]

On 05/09/2018 at 09:39, Macavity said:

The plot (like my recently used body-filler project) thickens! ?
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/sep/05/space-station-air-leak-someone-drilled-the-hole-say-russians
Openness! But not convinced widening the "discussion" to TWITTER etc. was the best move... ?

Looks suspiciously like one of my "Friday afternoon" DIY jobs though! ?

If drilled in zero g that might explain all the skidding and the crazy angle...

Amazing that the skin appears to be less than 2mm thick - and that's doubled up by the bracket...

 

[Gina]

Those marks by the hole certainly look like skid marks from a drill tip and what are those marks beside the big hole?

[johnfosteruk]

33 minutes ago, Gina said:

 and what are those marks beside the big hole?

Looks like where the side of the bit has caught it to me.

[Ags]

The first crime in space...

[Kn4fty]

Sounds like a case for Airlock Holmes! The case of the decompressing space station.

Chapter one

It was a gloomy day aboard the ISS.....

[LukeSkywatcher]

Duct tape.

Simples............

[Kn4fty]

Here's an update on the hole from Smithsonian magazine. The Russians say it's likely drilled.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/someone-drilled-hole-international-space-station-180970208/