A small leak detected last week in a Soyuz transport capsule
temporarily docked to the International Space Station may have been
caused by a human before the spacecraft launched, according to Russian
reports. The Soyuz is the only spacecraft currently able to bring
crewmembers to the space station, and it remains connected to the
orbiting laboratory until they head home again. [...]

https://www.space.com/41712-space-station-leak-human-error-russia-says.html?utm_source=sdc-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20180905-sdc

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I'd have thought though that if it was in the capsule, then it would have
shown up while in the flight to the station.
Unless of course the problem was some kind of seal at the docking point.
Brian

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"Internetado" <internetado@alt119.net.invalid> wrote in message
news:pmp5op.jo.1@news.alt119.net...
>A small leak detected last week in a Soyuz transport capsule temporarily
>docked to the International Space Station may have been caused by a human
>before the spacecraft launched, according to Russian reports. The Soyuz is
>the only spacecraft currently able to bring crewmembers to the space
>station, and it remains connected to the orbiting laboratory until they
>head home again. [...]
>
> https://www.space.com/41712-space-station-leak-human-error-russia-says.html?utm_source=sdc-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20180905-sdc
>
> --
> Eduardo
> ----------
> Alt119 - Alternate News
> www.alt119.net - Art Culture Lusophony

In article <pnikpk$j6f$1@dont-email.me>, briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
says...
>
> I'd have thought though that if it was in the capsule, then it would have
> shown up while in the flight to the station.
> Unless of course the problem was some kind of seal at the docking point.

Speculation is that a worker accidentally drilled the hole then filled
it with glue, or something similar. Thermal cycling, exposure to vacuum
on one side, and the one atmosphere pressure load on the other
eventually caused it to fail.

The other theory that Russia has floated is that an astronaut drilled
the hole while the Soyuz was docked to ISS. They have also floated the
suggestion that an unplanned EVA be performed to cut back the insulation
on the outside of the module to allow for inspection. I'm not sure how
that would provide any useful data though.

Jeff
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Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> writes:

[...]

> suggestion that an unplanned EVA be performed to cut back the insulation
> on the outside of the module to allow for inspection. I'm not sure how
> that would provide any useful data though.

The idea is that if they find residue of a sealant near the hole, it had
to be made on the ground.

In article <vriv5zz5l6zp.fsf@panix.com>, clj@panix.com says...
>
> Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> writes:
>
> [...]
>
> > suggestion that an unplanned EVA be performed to cut back the insulation
> > on the outside of the module to allow for inspection. I'm not sure how
> > that would provide any useful data though.
>
> The idea is that if they find residue of a sealant near the hole, it had
> to be made on the ground.

That sounds reasonable. But the actual EVA would be difficult
considering that doing delicate work in a pressure suit is extremely
difficult. They might accidentally dislodge the residue they're looking
for. Also, stuff literally floats away on EVAs, so absence of any
sealant wouldn't necessarily be conclusive. So it might not prove
useful to do such an EVA.

If such an EVA were to be performed, it would be nice if it were done by
one Russian and one American. Kind of like counting ballots requires
representatives of major parties to be present.

IMHO, of course.

Jeff
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