Key takeaways:
- The launch of a replacement Soyuz capsule to the ISS has been delayed until March due to a coolant leak on a docked Russian supply ship.
- The leak was discovered on the Soyuz MS-22 crew ferry ship, which was docked at the Russian Rassvet module.
- Engineers are currently investigating the cause of the leak and are working to ensure that the capsule is safe for launch.
The launch of a replacement Soyuz capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed until March following the discovery of a coolant leak on a supply ship docked to the station. This is the second such leak at a docked Russian craft in two months, according to the head of Russia’s space corporation Roscosmos.
The Soyuz capsule was originally scheduled to launch in automatic mode on February 20th and dock with the ISS two days later, to serve as a lifeboat for crew evacuation in case of an emergency. However, the leak has caused the launch to be postponed.
The leak was discovered on the Soyuz MS-22 crew ferry ship, which was docked at the Russian Rassvet module. It is believed to have been caused by a presumed micrometeoroid impact in December. The coolant system was damaged, raising the prospect of high internal temperatures that could damage flight computers or other sensitive systems after undocking.
In response to the leak, the Russian space agency has decided to delay the launch of the Soyuz capsule until March. Engineers are currently investigating the cause of the leak and are working to ensure that the capsule is safe for launch.
The ISS is a joint project between the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, and the European Space Agency. It has been continuously occupied since 2000, and is a vital part of international space exploration. The delay of the Soyuz capsule launch will not affect the operations of the ISS, as there are currently three crew members on board.
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