Astronauts battling to fix air leak on International Space Station

An astronaut on a recent space walk on the International Space Station
NASA
30 August 2018

Astronauts are trying to plug a small air leak which has developed on the Russian side of the International Space Station.

Nasa and Russian space officials stressed that the six astronauts are in no danger but both the crew and ground controllers are working hard to isolate the leak.

Russian officials say the pressure leak was detected on Wednesday night and may be the result of a micro-meteorite strike.

On Thursday morning the crew taped over the hole, slowing the leak - resulting in a small loss of cabin pressure.

It was traced to a hole around two millimetres across the most recent Soyuz capsule docked at the space station.

This Soyuz - one of two at the station - arrived at the orbiting lab in June with three astronauts and it will take them home in December.

The 250-mile-high outpost is home to three Americans, two Russians and one German.

Orbital debris is a constant threat to spacecraft, even the tiniest specks.

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