--- title: "Russia Says It’s Found Even More Cracks in the Space Station" description: "Russian cosmonauts stationed on board the ISS have discovered several new cracks in the wall of the aging outpost, warning that they could eventually widen." date: "2021-08-30" modified: "2021-08-30" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/russia-more-cracks-space-station" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "international space station" - "iss" - "Roscosmos" - "Russia" - "the digest" --- # Russia Says It’s Found Even More Cracks in the Space Station ![Russian cosmonauts stationed on board the ISS have discovered several new cracks in the wall of the aging outpost, warning that they could eventually widen.]() *\Image: NASA\* ## Crack Epidemic Russian cosmonauts stationed on board the International Space Station have discovered several new cracks in the wall of the aging outpost, [*Reuters* reports](), and are warning that they could eventually widen. "Superficial fissures have been found in some places on the Zarya module," Vladimir Solovyov, chief engineer at Russian space corporation Energia, told state-owned news agency *RIA,* as quoted by *Reuters*. "This is bad and suggests that the fissures will begin to spread over time." It's yet another sign that the ISS is starting to show its age. After being permanently occupied for over 20 years, the station is starting to accumulate cracks and fissures that so far have yet to pose any significant threats to the crew stationed there — but that could change in a matter of years. ## Equipment Failure Russian space agency [Roscosmos reported last month]() that pressure levels in the station's Zvezda service module were dropping due to an air leak. Solovyov also noted that the ISS would likely experience an "avalanche" of equipment failures after 2025, according to *Reuters*. ## Smear Campaign But this week's report also has to be taken with a grain of salt. Russia is actively distancing itself from the space station's operations and has announced it will [abandon it as soon as 2025](). Russia's state news has also used evidence of previously found space station breaches as a [way to demonize NASA personnel]() — perhaps an attempt to distract from its newly arrived Nauka module [causing the entire station to flip]() one-and-a-half times due to thrusters going rogue after docking. The last time cosmonauts noticed cracks was also in the Russian Zvezda module. Crews were able to determine the location of the tiny cracks after [over a year of careful sleuthing](). Throughout the search, both Roscosmos and NASA maintained that stationed crews were never in any danger. But the newly discovered cracks, the existence of which has yet to be confirmed by NASA, are bad news — even if Russia is just using them to distance itself from the station's operations or justify a premature desertion. **READ MORE:** [Russian cosmonauts find new cracks in ISS module]() \[*Reuters*\] **More on cracks:** *[Cosmonauts Are STILL Hunting Down the Damn Leak on the ISS, Russian Media Reports]()* ## 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]()