April 25, 2024

Thruster Test on Leaking Soyuz Spacecraft at Space Station – U.S. Spacewalk Postponed

The Soyuz MS-22 team ship is imagined docked to the Rassvet module. In the background, the Prichal docking module is connected to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. Temperatures and humidity within the Soyuz spacecraft, which remains docked to the Rassvet module, are within appropriate limits.
Cassada assembled the SphereCam-1, a digital ultra-high resolution video cam, inside the U.S. Destiny laboratory module. Wakata triggered the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) inside the Kibo lab module that will house scientific samples for future space biology research.

The Soyuz MS-22 crew ship is imagined docked to the Rassvet module. In the background, the Prichal docking module is connected to the Nauka multipurpose lab module. Credit: NASA
NASA and Roscosmos continue to assess an external leakage from the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft docked to the Rassvet module of the International Space Station (ISS) that was spotted on December 14. Roscosmos recognized the source of the leakage as the external cooling loop of the Soyuz spacecraft.
Roscosmos flight controllers carried out a successful test of the Soyuz MS-22 thrusters at 3:08 a.m. EST Friday, December 16, as part of the continuous assessment and examination. The systems that were checked were nominal, and Roscosmos assessments of additional Soyuz systems continue. Temperature levels and humidity within the Soyuz spacecraft, which remains docked to the Rassvet module, are within acceptable limitations.
NASA is supporting the continuous examination with using the Canadarm2 robotic arm to provide extra viewing of the Soyuz exterior on Sunday, December 18. To accommodate this modification in strategies, NASA has actually delayed the upcoming U.S. spacewalk to set up an International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA), which was originally set up for Monday, December 19. The new time frame for the spacewalk is Wednesday, December 21.

The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin into area after introducing from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on September 21.
The spacewalk was canceled, so the cosmonauts did not leave the area station or become exposed to the leaking coolant. From information analysis and video cameras aboard the area station, the bulk of fluid had leaked out by yesterday, December 15, around 1:30 p.m. EST
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On station, the Expedition 68 team members set up a variety of advanced research study gear to record high-definition video of Earth and home biology samples for observation.
Flight Engineers Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio evaluated spacewalk robotics activities with Flight Engineers Nicole Mann of NASA and Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Cassada put together the SphereCam-1, a digital ultra-high resolution video camera, inside the U.S. Destiny lab module. Wakata activated the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) inside the Kibo lab module that will house clinical samples for future space biology research study.
Prokopyev and Petelin cleaned their Orlan spacesuits and stowed their spacewalking tools following the postponement of Wednesday nights spacewalk.
Flight Engineer Anna Kikina also dealt with post-spacewalk activities returning the stations Russian section to typical and inspecting radiation sensors used on the Orlan matches. Kikina concluded her day dealing with surfaces inside the Zarya module with an anti-fungal representative to keep cleanliness and health aboard the station.