The Russian Soyuz MS-22 crew capsule will return to Earth without its passengers as it was damaged by a micrometeoroid impact. Higher temperatures resulting from the coolant leak could make it dangerous to use. The uncrewed ship began leaking coolant in December 2022 when a tiny meteoroid left a small hole in the exterior radiator and sent coolant spewing into space. The Soyuz MS-23 capsule will replace the damaged one and the spacecraft is now docked with the International Space Station. Roscosmos has also announced that Russia will extend its participation in the International Space Station until 2028, reversing last year’s statement from Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov who said that Russia was planning to leave the station after 2024 and to focus on building its own orbiting outpost.
Leaky Russian Soyuz Capsule Will Return to Earth Without Astronauts
The Russian Soyuz MS-22 crew capsule, which was damaged by a micrometeoroid impact, will be departing from the International Space Station without its three-person crew. Russian Cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, and Nasa astronaut Frank Rubio were supposed to use the Soyuz capsule to return to Earth in March, but higher temperatures resulting from the coolant leak could make it dangerous to use. As a result, the damaged spacecraft will parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan on March 28, 2023, completing a six-month mission docked to the Rassvet module.
Since the Soyuz capsule will travel in uncrewed mode to expedite the launch, a replacement crew will now have to wait until another Soyuz capsule is ready, meaning that Prokopyev, Petelin, and Rubio will have to stay at the station until September, pushing their mission to close to a year.
The uncrewed ship began leaking coolant in December 2022 when a tiny meteoroid left a small hole in the exterior radiator and sent coolant spewing into space. Ground specialists saw a stream of fluid and particles on a live video feed from space, along with a pressure drop on instruments, emanating from the Soyuz MS-22 capsule.
The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, has announced that the new Soyuz MS-23 capsule will replace the damaged one, and the spacecraft is now docked with the Space Station. The Soyuz MS-23 ship carried 429 kilograms (946 lb) of additional cargo to the station, which was needed to extend the astronauts’ mission, Russian agencies reported.
Roscosmos has also announced that Russia will extend its participation in the International Space Station until 2028, reversing last year’s statement from Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov who said that Russia was planning to leave the station after 2024 and to focus on building its own orbiting outpost.
Conclusion
The Soyuz MS-22 capsule’s safe landing is a testament to Russia’s commitment to the safety of its astronauts, as well as the robustness of its space program. The extension of Russia’s participation in the International Space Station will enable the country to continue to make vital contributions to the advancement of space science and exploration.
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