Space station leak could have been sabotage, Russia says.
Source: NBC News
The chief of Russia's space agency is claiming that the small hole that caused an air leak on the International Space Station last week wasn't caused by a meteorite, as originally thought, but was deliberately drilled and could be evidence of sabotage.
"We are considering all the theories," Dmitry Rogozin, the space agency chief, told the Russian news agency Tass on Monday. "The one about the meteorite impact has been rejected because the spaceship's hull was evidently impacted from inside ... It was done by a human hand there are traces of a drill sliding along the surface."
The hole, a 2-millimeter (0.08-inch) perforation that was found last Wednesday in a Soyuz spacecraft docked at the station, could have been an "accidental defect" introduced during construction of the craft or a "deliberate spoilage," Rogozin told Tass, adding that it could have been made on Earth or in space.
"Now it is essential to see the reason, to learn the name of the one responsible for that," he said. "And we will find out, without fail." A NASA spokesperson declined to comment on the report, but the agency said last week that a commission had been convened to determine the source of the leak, which was successfully sealed on Thursday by astronauts aboard the station.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/space-station-leak-could-have-been-sabotage-russia-says-ncna906201
Well, the Russians really are going around the bend on this one, IMO.
catbyte
(34,326 posts)It sounds like a guy fucked up with his drill then did a poor job of covering it up. Either way, the guy who did it is toast.
7962
(11,841 posts)Probably a couple workers hauling ass in Russia right now
MosheFeingold
(3,051 posts)Sounds like someone screwed up during assembly, patched it, and the patch came loose due to the extreme cold and hot cycling of space.
Pretty typical for Soviet/Russian engineering, really.
I doubt there are drills on the space station.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)I don't think anybody up there is quite that nuts.
Liberalagogo
(1,770 posts)with their secret space force of pedophiles.
In before Alex Jones runs with this.
(BTW------> )
KCDebbie
(664 posts)They launched from their top secret facility in the back of that pizzeria.
groundloop
(11,513 posts)That most likely makes it a Russian QC problem.
BumRushDaShow
(128,372 posts)but apparently the screws are being turned now and the high stakes extortion is apparently about to begin.
still_one
(92,060 posts)aeromanKC
(3,322 posts)Our Democracy AND DU on Election day for example!!
djacq
(1,633 posts)I will believe micro meteorite or manufactured defect before I believe sabotage.
Compromising infrastructure of the ISS can turn out to be a serious matter for all onboard.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,315 posts)Hole-drilling robot #2: Anyone know how this hole got here?
Hole-drilling robot #3: No, but we can blame Hole-drilling robot #1.
Hole-drilling robot #2: What happened to Hole-drilling robot #1?
Hole-drilling robot #3: He changed his name to DU-trolling-robot #873. Better pay, more vodka.
Hole-drilling robot #2: I can cover hole with masking tape. Where is DU-trolling employment office?
efhmc
(14,721 posts)sheds some pretty interesting facts on how poorly the Russian workers and cosmonauts are paid and treated. They always respond positively when asked how they are and how things are going on their mission even when it it not true. Their bonuses and treatment and jobs depend on answering this way,
byronius
(7,389 posts)edbermac
(15,933 posts)He has a history of sabotaging spaceships.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)"Russia Today reported that a source with Energia, the maker of the Soyuz spacecraft,
said the hole had been made on the ground by a worker who accidentally drilled it and then
rather than reporting the mistake simply sealed it.
The seal held for the two months the spacecraft has been in orbit before drying up and being dislodged by air pressure, according to the report."
0rganism
(23,920 posts)well, they weren't wrong
Xipe Totec
(43,888 posts)ret5hd
(20,480 posts)Anybody bring some bubble gum?