The International Space Station has sprung a leak and is releasing ammonia coolant that’s used to keep its solar-panel power equipment up and running.
NASA said astronauts aren’t in danger, Space.com reported. But they could face dilemmas from power failures and drains.
They have yet to locate the exact spot from which the ammonia’s leaking, Newser said. It’s coming from the general location of a 2007 leak, but astronauts reportedly fixed that area last year during a special spacewalk.
This current leak “is in the same area, but we don’t know whether it’s the same leak,” one NASA spokesman said, in various media reports.
NASA will focus on the problem on Friday. Commander Chris Hadfield sent out a tweet: “It is a serious situation, but between our crews and experts on the ground, it appears to have been stabilized. Tomorrow we find out for certain.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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