Two astronauts reboarded the International Space Station on Tuesday after successfully plugging an air leak in a British-built module. Sources confirm the leak, which triggered a depressurisation alarm on Sunday, was traced to a faulty seal in the Node 1 connector. The module, constructed by Airbus Defence and Space for the UK Space Agency, was declared structurally sound following a six-hour spacewalk.
NASA officials said the repair involved installing a custom gasket, a task complicated by the module's tight tolerances. One source described the operation as 'textbook' and stressed that crew safety was never compromised. The astronauts, who had taken refuge in the Russian segment during the emergency, are now resuming their research schedule.
The UK Space Agency lauded the repair as a testament to the module's robust design. Critics, however, question whether cost-cutting in the original construction contributed to the seal failure. Documents obtained by this reporter show the module's seal supplier was changed in 2019 following a dispute over pricing.
The UK Space Agency refutes any link, insisting the module remains 'fully operational and safe'.
