The International Space Station (ISS) has hosted astronauts living and working in space for more than two decades, making groundbreaking contributions to technology and medicine along the way.
A Russian Progress spacecraft delivering nearly three tons of supplies to the International Space Station also brought an unwanted smell when cosmonauts opened the hatch.
The Progress supply mission launched on Nov. 21 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying supplies, including fuel and food, for the space station’s crew. NASA said the spacecraft docked at the Russian Poisk module on Saturday at 9:31 a.m. ET.
“After opening the Progress spacecraft’s hatch, the Roscosmos cosmonauts noticed an unexpected odor and observed small droplets, prompting the crew to close the Poisk hatch to the rest of the Russian segment,” NASA said Sunday.
The Progress 90 cargo craft carrying nearly three tons of food, fuel, and supplies approaches the International Space Station for a docking to the Poisk module. (Credit: NASA+)
(NASA)
NASA did not describe the odor. Russian space news outlet Russianspaceweb.com reports that the cosmonaut crew described it as “toxic” and closed the hatch immediately.
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The space agency said the space station’s air scrubbers and contaminant sensors monitored the ISS atmosphere for about 24 hours before flight controllers reported normal air quality on Sunday.
“There are no concerns for the crew, and as of Sunday afternoon, the crew is working to open the hatch between Poisk and Progress while all other space station operations are proceeding as planned,” NASA said.
Progress is expected to remain docked at the ISS for six months before undocking and disposing of trash from the crew.
The ISS is a collaboration between 15 countries and five space agencies. Europe, Japan, Canada and the U.S. are committed to operating the station through 2030. Russia plans to continue operations through at least 2028, according to NASA.
NASA awarded SpaceX a $843 million contract to develop the deorbit spacecraft that will safely destroy the ISS over the ocean.