WhyCosmo

The International Space Station (ISS) is facing one of its biggest challenges as NASA and Russia's Roscosmos reveal a worrying update. A long-standing leak, identified in the Russian segment of the ISS back in 2019, has escalated. According to a recent report, 50 "areas of concern" have now been documented, with four cracks and persistent leaks raising concerns about astronaut safety. The International Space Station.   (Image credit: NASA) The Ongoing Struggle to Fix the ISS Leak NASA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a new report in September, confirming that fixing this leak is an urgent safety priority for astronauts on board. The leaks, originating in the Zvezda module (part of the Russian segment), were first patched up, but cracks persist. The cracks are located near a hatch, and NASA has arranged a compromise with Roscosmos to close it as much as possible during nighttime for extra safety. While NASA assures the leak doesn’t pose an immediate risk, i...

  NASA to Announce Safety Verdict for Boeing's Starliner Capsule Amid Concerns NASA is gearing up to make a critical decision this Saturday on whether Boeing's new Starliner capsule is safe enough to bring astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams back from space. The astronauts have been stationed on the International Space Station (ISS) since June, waiting for a safe return amid a series of technical malfunctions aboard the Starliner. Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft docked to the Harmony module of the International Space Station on the company’s Orbital Flight Test-2 mission. Credit: NASA The capsule, part of Boeing's first-ever astronaut mission, experienced thruster failures and helium leaks, prompting NASA to reconsider its return plans. A decision, expected to be announced after a high-level meeting chaired by NASA's top officials, could either greenlight Starliner for return or leave the task to SpaceX, delaying the astronauts' return until February 202...

🚀 A Leap in Planetary Defense 🚀 Thirty years ago, the cosmic ballet of Shoemaker-Levy 9 colliding with Jupiter captivated astronomers and sparked a crucial question: "Can we prevent such a catastrophe from striking Earth?" Fast forward to today, and the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking monumental strides in planetary defense by announcing its 2029 mission to asteroid Apophis —aptly named Ramses . ESA's planned Ramses mission would arrive at the asteroid Apophis two months before the asteroid's April 2029 close flyby of Earth.  Credit:  ESA 🌌 Mission Ramses: Safeguarding Earth 🌌 The Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses) is set to rendezvous with the 99942 Apophis asteroid, a celestial giant roughly the size of a cruise liner. As Apophis makes its exceptionally close approach to Earth on April 13, 2029, passing within 32,000 km, Ramses will monitor its every move. This mission aims to understand how Earth's gravity will alter the asteroid's...

  The highly anticipated return of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has been delayed yet again due to ongoing issues with helium leaks and thruster malfunctions . NASA and Boeing have decided to extend the spacecraft's stay at the International Space Station (ISS) to allow for thorough reviews and system checks, guaranteeing the mission's safety and success. The Starliner spacecraft on NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test is pictured docked to the Harmony module’s forward port as the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above the Mediterranean Sea. Credit: NASA Helium Leaks and Thruster Troubles Starliner has encountered several challenges since its launch on June 5, including multiple helium leaks and thruster performance issues. These problems have necessitated a cautious approach, with NASA and Boeing leadership emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making. The spacecraft's propulsion system is under scrutiny, particularly the helium leaks that have e...