--- title: "Russia Says Potentially “Catastrophic” Leak in Space Station Isn’t a Big Deal" description: "  In September, NASA's inspector general noted in a report that new cracks and leaks affecting the Russian segment of the aging International Space Station continued to be a \"top safety risk.\" The leaks, which have plagued a module connecting the segment's docking port to its service module, have been around for years, as SpaceNews […]" date: "2024-11-15" modified: "2024-11-15" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/russia-catastrophic-leak-space-station" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "international space station" - "NASA" - "Roscosmos" - "Russia" - "the digest" --- # Russia Says Potentially “Catastrophic” Leak in Space Station Isn’t a Big Deal ![]() *\Image: NASA / Futurism\* ## Take a Leak In September, NASA's inspector general [warned in a report]() that new cracks and leaks affecting the Russian segment of the aging International Space Station continued to be a "top safety risk." The leaks, which have plagued a module connecting the segment's docking port to its service module, have been [around for years](), as [*SpaceNews* reports](), forcing astronauts to keep the module's hatch closed most of the time. And while former astronaut and head of NASA's ISS Advisory Committee Bob Cabana said the leaks are leading to the "possibility of a catastrophic failure" during a recent meeting, as quoted by *SpaceNews*, Russia's counterparts have continued to downplay the severity of the situation. "The Russians believe that continued operations are safe but they can’t prove to our satisfaction that they are, and the US believes that it’s not safe but we can’t prove to the Russians’ satisfaction that that’s the case," Cabana said during the meeting. **\[not seeing anything recent\]** ## Hole Milk Roscosmos and NASA also disagreed on the possible cause of the ongoing leaks. Cabana revealed that Russian engineers have pointed to "high cyclic fatigue" caused by micro-vibrations. NASA, however, believes it's more complicated than that, with mechanical stresses, among other factors, slowly degrading the module's material. While Cabana continues to stress the severity of the situation, other NASA officials [told the *Washington Post*]() last month that the leaks [aren't a huge deal](). "Roscosmos has applied sealant to many of these areas of interest which has further reduced the leak rate," NASA spokesperson Kathryn Hambleton told *WaPo* at the time. Meanwhile, Roscosmos identified a whopping 50 "areas of concern," according to Hambleton, underlining the scope of the issue. In short, regardless of the disagreement over the leaks' cause or severity, it's yet another sign that the space station, which has been continuously occupied for just over 24 years, is seriously starting to show its age. "The station is not young," said NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, who returned to Earth from the station last month, during a briefing last week, as quoted by *SpaceNews*. "It’s been up there for quite a while. You expect some wear and tear, and we’re seeing that." **More on the leaks:** *[NASA Says It's Totally Fine the Space Station is Absolutely Riddled With Cracks and Leaks]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()