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Safety Panel Raises Concerns Over Aging International Space Station
WASHINGTON — A NASA safety advisory group has voiced “serious concerns” regarding the integrity of the International Space Station (ISS), highlighting ongoing operational challenges and funding limitations as the orbiting laboratory ages. The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) publicly addressed these issues on April 17, emphasizing escalating hazards as the ISS approaches its anticipated decommissioning in 2030.
Growing Risks on the ISS Highlighted
Rich Williams, a member of the panel, stated candidly that the ISS is currently in its “most precarious phase,” pointing to “heightened hazards” confronting the station. These hazards encompass persistent problems that have plagued the ISS for several years.
Persistent Leak Concerns in Zvezda Module
Among the standing issues are leaks within the PrK vestibule of the station’s Zvezda module. For several years, Russian and U.S. specialists have been investigating minor fissures detected in PrK, yet a definitive cause or optimal solution remains elusive.
US and Russian Experts to Meet on Crack Mitigation
Williams mentioned that NASA and Roscosmos officials are scheduled to convene in Moscow later this month to discuss advancements in efforts to address the cracking issue. In the interim, ISS management has implemented procedures, including restrictions on vestibule repressurization, which connects a docking port to the rest of the station. “The panel has identified this as one of our primary worries,” Williams noted.
Deorbit Planning and Potential Debris Risks
Another significant area of apprehension is the formulation of deorbit strategies for the ISS, particularly in an emergency scenario before its scheduled retirement at the decade’s end, preceding the availability of the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV) contracted to SpaceX. Williams cautioned, “Should an ISS deorbit become necessary before the USDV is ready, the public risk from ISS debris following breakup would substantially increase.”
Additional Operational Challenges
The ISS is grappling with a multitude of supplementary operational burdens:
- Maintaining adequate reserves of spare components for essential life support systems.
- Navigating delays in cargo resupply missions.
Cargo Resupply Delays Compound ISS Issues
The resupply delays are linked to setbacks in Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser vehicle’s inaugural launch, now projected for late summer at the earliest. Further complicating matters, Northrop Grumman cancelled its NG-22 Cygnus mission to the ISS, initially set for a June launch, due to shipping-related damage to the spacecraft.
Budget Shortfall Underlines Safety Concerns
“Underlying all these hazards is a substantial ISS budgetary constraint,” Williams asserted. “These risks are, in effect, a consequence of this budget shortfall and collectively contribute to a potential compromise of the low Earth orbit transition strategy.”
Williams did not elaborate on the specifics of the perceived budget deficit affecting ISS operations. NASA’s fiscal year 2024 operational plan allocated $993 million for ISS operations and upkeep, and over $1.63 billion for crew and cargo transport. In 2023, NASA expended $1.03 billion on ISS operations and maintenance and $1.64 billion on crew and cargo transportation.
ASAP Report Highlights Budgetary Pressures
ASAP, in its 2024 annual report, cautioned about potential budgetary strains on ISS operations arising from USDV construction costs and funding demands for commercial space stations. “The Panel harbors serious misgivings that if the requisite funds for both the USDV and the associated launch infrastructure (exceeding $1B in total) are drawn solely from the existing ISS budget, it will significantly impede NASA’s capacity to safely execute routine and contingency ISS on-orbit activities,” the report stated.
Maintaining Resources Through ISS Retirement
“As programs approach their conclusion, there’s a temptation to assume reduced resource needs,” Williams observed. “For the ISS, sustaining sufficient budget and resources remains crucial until the vehicle is safely deorbited.”
“The panel acknowledges the proven operational excellence of the ISS program, yet remains deeply concerned about the escalating and interconnected risks facing the program in the coming years,” he concluded.