The International Space Station (ISS) has long been a symbol of international collaboration in space exploration, but recent reports of an ongoing air leak in its Russian segment have raised serious concerns about its future viability. Despite years of attempts to locate and seal the leak, it continues to affect the station, forcing the involved space agencies to explore various solutions.
The ISS’s air leak, which was first reported in September 2019, has grown progressively more concerning over time. According to reports, the rate of air loss has doubled, now exceeding two pounds per day. This alarming rate poses significant risks to the station’s structural integrity and the safety of its crew.
Russian space agency Roscosmos executive director Sergey Krikalyov said that while recent repairs have reduced the leak’s rate, it remains far from sealed. The team is working tirelessly to find a permanent solution, but the complexity of the issue has made progress difficult to achieve.
The source of the leak remains unknown, with engineers tracing it to the vestibule of the Zvezda module. This critical junction for crew activities and spacecraft dockings poses significant challenges for repairs. Krikalyov noted that even after thoughtfully sealed “final cracks,” further monitoring revealed that the problem persisted.
The complicated nature of sealing the leak highlights the importance of designing more robust space station modules in the future. The ISS’s continued struggle with this issue underscores the need for better technologies to detect and seal such issues promptly.
As the ISS approaches its third decade of operation, these challenges prompt serious questions about its longevity and safety. The ongoing air leak also carries significant implications for the broader field of space exploration, raising concerns about the viability of long-term missions in space.
A possible solution to the air leak problem could be permanently shutting off the Zvezda module hatch, which would eliminate one of the docking ports for cargo and spacecraft deliveries without compromising the station’s core functions. While drastic, this potential solution offers a temporary workaround, allowing the ISS to continue operating without significant disruption.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/08/iss-faces-ongoing-air-leak-russian-segment