This article is a bit of hype, but also the problem should be taken seriously as NASA has rated it as a high probable and high significance event.
There is a small Russian module that is leaking atmosphere at a rate of 3.3 lbs per day. It can be mitigated by closing the hatch to the module, but doing so reduces the number of Russian ports from 4 to 3. The article states eventually the hatch to that module will need to be permanently closed.
They don’t know the root cause, but assume it’s the welds.
So, losing a port = bad, but the space station can continue on.
Sounds like extending the life of the station past 2030 is looking increasingly unlikely. Let’s hope that at least one of Haven-1, the Axiom Segment, Orbital Reef, or Starlab are operational by then.
Even if they are, they’ll still be nowhere as big or shine as brilliantly as the ISS does. I’ll miss watching it soar overhead. :/
they’ll still be nowhere as big or shine as brilliantly as the ISS does
Maybe not at first, but if they are successful, they’ll either grow or be followed by even larger stations. The Axiom station will be modular, and Vast have already announced plans for 8 meter “Starship-class” modules. I’ll miss the ISS too, but I’m hoping that we’ll see bigger and better stations in the future.
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I wonder if we start to live in massive space stations if we will have to replace our space station every like hundred years or something. I mean this one lasted basically what 30 years and it’s already cracking. Obviously, a station large enough to handle tens of thousands of people is going to leak and they are going to have to have systems in place to shut down segments and make sure people are safe. However, with structures that large, a leak would take a very, very long time to become a problem.
Edit: I am thinking like O’Neill cylinders and shit.
Politics don’t seem to care about risk matrices. Gambling with lifes on this monument.
