According to reports, alarms rang aboard the Russian side the International Space Station (ISS), on Thursday September 9. Crew members reported that they saw smoke and smelled burnt plastic.
According to Roscosmos Russia's space agency Roscosmos, the incident took place in Russia's Zvezda Module as the station's batteries were being recharged. Roscosmos stated that the systems have been restored to normal and that crew members are back to their "regular training." According to the Associated Press, the ISS crew activated the air filters which cleared the air.
Although the incident was resolved, it wasn’t the first time that the ISS had to deal with worrying events. It's unlikely to be the last.
Related: International Space Station at 20, A photo tour
The International Space Station. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
According to the BBC, Vladimir Solovyov (chief engineer for rocket and space company Energia), stated that a lot of equipment on the ISS was outdated and could cause irreparable damage. Solovyov stated that at least 80% of the in-flight systems for the Russian segment have expired.
Live Science reported that Russian cosmonauts found cracks in the Zarya module of the ISS' Zarya module on Aug. 30. This Zarya module was the first ISS component launched into orbit in 1998. Solovyov stated to Russian state-owned news agency RIA, that these cracks could spread over time. According to Reuters, he also warned about an "avalanche of broken equipment" after 2025.
The ISS is aging and can't last forever. But it is not clear how it will retire. According to Space.com, Live Science sister site Space.com, if humans don't give the station its retirement, including by de-orbiting, then the ever-present risk of space debris and micrometeorites impacts will eventually lead to its death.
NASA officials told Space.com that the ISS will continue to be operational through December 2024, and, technically speaking, it will fly until 2028. "Also, we have not identified any issues that could prevent us from operating beyond 2028 if necessary."
According to the Associated Press, a 6-hour spacewalk to get to work at a newly-docked Russian Nauka science laboratory is still possible.
Original publication on Live Science
