The International Space Station (ISS) needs regular supplies to operate. On Saturday, November 23, 2024, the Russian cargo ship Progress 90 arrived at the ISS, bringing three tons of food, fuel and other materials. But a routine task turned into an unpleasant experience when the crew after opening the airlock she smelled a strong smell and discovered tiny droplets in the space of the ship.
Therefore, the astronauts immediately closed the passage between the Poisk module and the ISS and subsequently activated the air purification and pollution monitoring systems to prevent any threat. As a precaution, the US astronauts activated their Trace Contaminant Control Sub-assembly (TCCS) system to clean the air in the US segment of the station.
It stank, but the air quality was fine
NASA later confirmed that air quality at the station remained normaland assured the public that the crew was in no way in danger. After these measures, the astronauts reopened the airlock and continued to access the delivered supplies.
“There is no cause for concern for the crew and they have been working to open the hatch between Poisk and Progress since Sunday afternoon, while all other operations on the space station are proceeding as planned.” NASA said on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
According to NASA and other experts, the source of the smell could be the so-called “outgassing”, that is release of chemicals from materials exposed to extreme space conditions. Among other things, the Progress spacecraft carries toxic fuels, but NASA said the fuel was not the cause of the problem in this case. The crew described the odor as similar to that of spray paint, indicating the presence of organic compounds.
The Russian segment of the International Space Station has long been troubled by technical problems. For example, the Zvezda module has been facing air leaks for several years, the cause of which cannot be precisely determined. According to NASA, the rate of air leakage has doubled in recent years, further exacerbating the problem.
Problems on the ISS
This is not the first time that a Russian ship has caused complications on the ISS. For example, last year there was a coolant leak from another Progress module. The repeated incidents lead to disputes between NASA and Roskosmos over the severity of the technical problems and the future of Russian participation in the ISS.
It must be added that unpleasant odors aboard a space station are not unusual. NASA astronaut Don Pettit once said that the ISS “never smell like a rose”because several people work and live in a small space for months at a time. Similarly, astronaut Christina Koch compared the smell of the ISS to “laboratories, gymnasiums and a shared house of six people.”
The International Space Station was originally scheduled to end in 2015, but thanks to upgrades, it continues to operate and it is supposed to be in operation until 2030. However, aging technologies bring more and more problems, which increases the demands on international cooperation. The incident with Progress 90 is just another reminder of this reality.
Resources: gizmodo.com, arstechnica.com, forbes.com.
(in a cheeky, observational tone, à la Jimmy Carr, Rowan Atkinson, Ricky Gervais, and Lee Evans)
Ah, the International Space Station: where the views are out of this world, but the smells, not so much. I mean, who needs a space toilet when you’ve got a Russian cargo ship full of…well, we’ll get to that in a minute.
So, on November 23rd, 2024, the Progress 90 spacecraft docked at the ISS, bringing with it three tons of goodies, including food, fuel, and other essential supplies. But, as the astronauts opened the airlock, they were greeted by a rather…pungent aroma. Imagine the smell of spray paint, but in space. Yeah, that’s a thing now.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Has the ISS been taken over by a bunch of DIY enthusiasts?” But no, it’s not that. Apparently, the smell was caused by “outgassing,” which is just a fancy way of saying “stuff in space gets a bit gassy.” It’s like when you open a can of beans and suddenly your kitchen smells like a toxic waste dump. But, you know, in space.
NASA assured everyone that the air quality was fine, and the crew was in no danger. Because, you know, a strong smell in space is just a minor inconvenience. I mean, it’s not like they’re trying to escape a stinky spaceport or anything. (Imagine the scene: “Houston, we have a problem. And it’s not the lack of oxygen. It’s the bloody smell.”)
But, of course, this isn’t the first time a Russian spacecraft has caused problems on the ISS. There was that coolant leak last year, and don’t even get me started on the air leaks in the Zvezda module. It’s like the Russian space program is trying to recreate the conditions of a Soviet-era apartment block, but in space.
And let’s not forget, the ISS is supposed to be operational until 2030. That’s a long time to be stuck in a metal tube with a bunch of people and their, ahem, “fragrant” space suits. I mean, as astronaut Don Pettit once said, “The ISS never smells like a rose.” More like a combination of laboratories, gym socks, and a shared house of six people. Yeah, that sounds like a real party.
But, hey, at least the crew can take comfort in the fact that they’re not alone in their stinky space station. As astronaut Christina Koch said, “It’s like a laboratory, gym, and a shared house of six people.” Yeah, that’s exactly what I want to hear when I’m stuck in space for months on end.
In conclusion, the International Space Station: where the views are great, but the smells are…well, out of this world. (Sorry, had to.)
(Sources: gizmodo.com, arstechnica.com, forbes.com)
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(winking at the camera, à la Rowan Atkinson)
The International Space Station (ISS) relies heavily on regular supplies to maintain its daily operations. On Saturday, November 23, 2024, the Russian cargo ship Progress 90 successfully docked at the ISS, bringing with it a cargo of three tons of essential supplies, including food, fuel, and other vital materials necessary for the astronauts’ survival. However, a routine task turned into an unexpected ordeal when the crew opened the airlock and was immediately hit with a strong, pungent smell, accompanied by tiny droplets floating in the air.
In response to this unusual occurrence, the astronauts swiftly closed the passage between the Poisk module and the ISS, and subsequently activated the air purification and pollution monitoring systems to eliminate any potential threats. As a precautionary measure, the US astronauts activated their Trace Contaminant Control Sub-assembly (TCCS) system to scrub the air in the US segment of the station, ensuring the crew’s safety.
A Foul Smell, but Normal Air Quality
NASA later confirmed that the air quality at the station remained normal, and assured the public that the crew was in no way in danger. After taking these measures, the astronauts reopened the airlock and continued to access the delivered supplies, which included much-needed food, fuel, and other essential materials.
“There is no cause for concern for the crew, and they have been working to open the hatch between Poisk and Progress since Sunday afternoon, while all other operations on the space station are proceeding as planned,” NASA stated on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
According to NASA and other experts, the source of the smell could be attributed to the phenomenon of “outgassing,” which occurs when materials are exposed to the extreme conditions of space, resulting in the release of chemicals. Although the Progress spacecraft carries toxic fuels, NASA confirmed that the fuel was not the cause of the problem in this case. The crew described the odor as similar to that of spray paint, indicating the presence of organic compounds.
The Russian segment of the International Space Station has been plagued by technical problems for an extended period. For instance, the Zvezda module has been experiencing air leaks for several years, with the exact cause remaining unknown. NASA reported that the rate of air leakage has doubled in recent years, exacerbating the issue.
Ongoing Problems on the ISS
This incident is not the first time a Russian ship has caused complications on the ISS. For example, last year, a coolant leak was detected in another Progress module. The repeated incidents have led to disputes between NASA and Roskosmos over the severity of the technical problems and the future of Russian participation in the ISS.
It is worth noting that unpleasant odors on board a space station are not uncommon. NASA astronaut Don Pettit once remarked that the ISS “never smells like a rose” due to the presence of several people working and living in a small space for extended periods. Similarly, astronaut Christina Koch compared the smell of the ISS to “laboratories, gymnasiums, and a shared house of six people.”
The International Space Station was originally scheduled to end its operations in 2015, but thanks to upgrades and renovations, it continues to operate and is expected to remain in service until 2030. However, the aging technologies are causing more and more problems, increasing the demands on international cooperation. The incident with Progress 90 serves as a stark reminder of this reality.
Resources: gizmodo.com, arstechnica.com, forbes.com
