A routine maintenance operation on the International Space Station turned into a high-stakes drama yesterday as two astronauts completed an emergency spacewalk to repair a suspected ammonia leak in the station's cooling system. The leak, first detected by ground control on Wednesday, prompted an immediate postponement of all non-essential activities aboard the orbiting laboratory. NASA sources confirm that the leak was located in a coolant loop on the station's starboard truss, a critical component for regulating temperature.
The repair, carried out by Expedition 68 crew members, involved replacing a faulty pump controller box. The astronauts, working in the vacuum of space for over six hours, managed to seal the leak and restore the cooling system to full functionality. 'It was a tense few hours, but our crew training kicked in,' said a NASA spokesperson.
'We are relieved it is resolved and everyone is safe.' The UK Space Agency, which contributes to the ISS through the European Space Agency, praised the international collaboration. 'This incident highlights the incredible teamwork between space agencies and the bravery of those on board,' said Dr.
Paul Bates, chief executive of the UK Space Agency. 'We are proud to be part of such a resilient global effort.' The ISS, which has been continuously crewed since 2000, is now back to normal operations.
Investigations into the root cause of the leak are underway, but the immediate threat has been averted.
