ISS-Docked Russian Spacecraft Is Leaking Coolant

A Russian spacecraft that is docked with the International Space Station (ISS) is leaking coolant, according to Russia’s federal space agency Roscosmos(Opens in a new window).

Mission controllers in Moscow spotted the leak, which they called “a depressurization”, in the Progress 82 cargo craft which arrived at the ISS on Oct. 28 2022, and had been scheduled to depart on Feb. 17. None of the seven crew members aboard the ISS are at risk from the leakage in the Russian craft’s cooling system, per a statement from Roscosmos. 

Dmitry Strugovets, a former head of Roscosmos’ press office, said via Telegram(Opens in a new window), that “all” of the coolant had leaked from the spacecraft.

As Engadget notes(Opens in a new window), it’s not yet clear if the cargo craft will actually depart the ISS then or stay for further checks.

According to Space.com(Opens in a new window), Progress vehicles are made to completely burn up during their return to Earth, which means that Russian space officials will be unable to take a look at it when it returns.

In a blog post(Opens in a new window) yesterday NASA officials said the reason “for the loss of coolant in the Progress 82 spacecraft is being investigated.” The officials added: “The hatches between the Progress 82 and the station are open, and temperatures and pressures aboard the station are all normal. The crew, which was informed of the cooling loop leak, is in no danger and continuing with normal space station operations.”

The leak comes soon after a similar incident involving another of Russia’s spacecraft, called the MS-22 Soyuz. In December, that craft leaked away all of its coolant(Opens in a new window), which Russia had said was due to a micrometeoroid strike.

No images of the affected craft have been released however, which has led some such as Ars Technica’s Eric Berger(Opens in a new window) to question whether Russia’s versions of events are instead a deflection from ageing space infrastructure.