Space & Astronomy

Mystery ISS hole was 'deliberate sabotage'

By T.K. Randall
October 3, 2018

Image: International Space Station
Credit: (PD) NASA When a reduction in cabin pressure led to the discovery of a small leak in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft docked at the International Space Station last month, it was initially assumed that a micrometeorite impact was to blame.

Upon closer inspection however it turned out that the hole had been made by a drill, suggesting that it was either accidental damage or the result of deliberate sabotage.

Now following several weeks of further investigation, Russian officials have reached the conclusion that it was neither a manufacturing defect nor damage caused by an accident during construction.This means that the most likely explanation is that someone drilled the hole on purpose.

"[The investigation] concluded that a manufacturing defect had been ruled out which is important to establish the truth," said Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos.

"Where it was made will be established by a second commission, which is at work now."

Source: Phys.org

Tags: ISS, Leak