Another Uncrewed Russian Spacecraft Reported a Leak, Postponing the Launch of Its Replacement

Roscosmos looks to be facing another spacecraft problem. The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, which brought three Expedition 68 crew members to the International Space Station (ISS) last December, detected a leak in its coolant loop.

NASA reports that engineers at the Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow observed a depressurization in Progress 82, an uncrewed cargo ship docked with the Poisk laboratory module, on February 11th. The reason is still unknown, but Roscosmos engineers with assistance from NASA will continue to investigate.

Soyuz MS-22 Deemed Unfit To Bring Astronauts Back to Earth

The Russian spacecraft Progress 83 docked with the aft end of the Zvezda service module, carrying nearly three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the Expedition 68 crew, Science Alert reported.

Meanwhile, Progress 82 was filled with rubbish and is slated to deorbit from the station on February 17th. The leak was quickly reported to the crew, and it was judged that it presented no danger to them.

NASA experts began supporting their Russian counterparts in diagnosing the issue, including getting pictures of the Progress 82 using cameras atop the Canadarm-2.

The crew has resumed routine space activities and scientific research as per the recent update. Temperatures and pressures are normal, and the hatches between Progress 82 and the station are open. Authorities are still monitoring all ISS systems, and no further problems have been detected.

MS-22 remains docked to the ISS but has been ruled unsuitable to return people to Earth unless the ISS is evacuated in an emergency.

Soyuz MS-23 Launch Delayed Due to Unexpected Leak

Soyuz spaceships are built to transport humans, but this one, known as MS-23, will launch without them. According to Space.com, it will be a replacement for the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, which sprung a leak and lost all of its coolants to space on December 14, a failure that Russia's space agency Roscosmos blamed on a possible micrometeoroid hit.

However, the recent leak has caused the launch of Soyuz MS-23 to be postponed. The spaceship would transport NASA astronaut Frank Rubio as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, who went to the space station via the MS-22 mission in October 2022.

Soyuz MS-23 was supposed to launch on February 19 from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. But, due to a leak on another Russian spacecraft connected with the ISS, that deadline has now been pushed back.

Roscosmos noted in a Telegram message on Monday, February 13, that the commission is working on the case of Soyuz MS-21, but until the reason for the emergency situation is discovered. the launch of Soyuz MS-23 to the space station has been postponed to March this year.

Both NASA and Roscosmos clarified that the recent leak in the Russian spacecraft poses no threat to the astronauts aboard the ISS.

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