--- title: "Russia Finds Hole in Spacecraft Docked to International Space Station" description: "A Russian Soyuz spacecraft, which is currently docked to the ISS, sprung a leak. Officials have now identified a hole following an inspection." date: "2022-12-20" modified: "2022-12-20" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/russia-hole-soyuz-spacecraft-iss" categories: - "International Space Station" - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "international space station" - "Roscosmos" - "soyuz" - "the digest" --- # Russia Finds Hole in Spacecraft Docked to International Space Station ![A Russian Soyuz spacecraft, which is currently docked to the ISS, sprung a leak. Officials have now identified a hole following an inspection.]() *\Image: NASA\* ## Sprung a Leak A Russian Soyuz spacecraft, currently docked to the International Space Station and tentatively scheduled to return three astronauts to Earth, sprung a leak last week and sprayed a [massive mist of coolant]() into outer space. The incident forced officials at Russia's space agency Roscosmos to look for ways to cool the capsule, which [reportedly heated]() up to a sweltering 122 degrees Fahrenheit as a result. Now, a recent inspection using the Canadarm2, a long manipulator arm attached to the outside of the space station, has revealed a 0.8 millimeter hole that appears to have caused the leak, [Russian state-owned media network *TASS* reports](). Officials [believe micrometeorites]() are behind the damage — but the exact cause, like the plan for getting the astronauts home, has yet to be confirmed. ## Hot Ones Roscosmos head Yury Borisov described the situation as "not very pleasant," according to *TASS*, but denied that the spacecraft ever reached 122 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Roscosmos, the Soyuz capsule's habitation module is currently sitting at a balmy-but-livable 86 degrees Fahrenheit, while the equipment compartment is around 104 degrees. The Russian space agency also said that the temperatures are within acceptable limits for cosmonauts. ## Ride Home But that doesn't mean the three astronauts — cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitri Petelin, and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, who were meant to return on board the leaky spacecraft — still have a ride home. As [*Ars Technica* reports](), Roscosmos is now trying to figure out whether the capsule is ready to return or if a fresh Soyuz, which had been meant to carry three new crew members to the ISS in March, will need to be launched as a makeshift return flight — an expensive fix. For now, we'll have to wait and see what Roscosmos and NASA decide to do next. **READ MORE:** [Russia says it will take no immediate action on damaged Soyuz spacecraft]() \[*Ars Technica*\] **More on the incident:** *[Russia Alarmed as Spacecraft Heats Up After Coolant Sprays Into Space]()* ## 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]()