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(Image source: NASA)
BY NICHOLE CARTMELL
Just like your car might do, the International Space Station is leaking coolant. Crews discovered
ammonia drifting away from the laboratory on Thursday and are now trying to address
the problem.
Chilled, liquid ammonia is used to cool down the power systems on its eight solar array
panels. The leak poses no threat to those on board, but NASA is taking the problem seriously.
(Via NBC)
If the cooling system fails, the particular solar array won't be able to generate power
for the station. (Via Space.com)
Unfortunately, mission control believes the leak has worsened to the point that it expects
that particular loop to shut down within the next 24 hours.
CBS explains if that happens the station's crew would be forced to reconfigure the station's
cooling system. It can run without all of the cooling channels, but a total loss of
a coolant system could cause the loop to overheat.
The space station has had this problem before. • a small leak was found in 2007 in the
same location as the current problem, • and in 2012 a space walk was organized
to rewire coolant lines and install a spare radiator.
As of now there are no plans to evacuate the six-person crew aboard the space station.
Crews will spend Friday trying to pinpoint the problem.