ROSCOSMOS published photo-confirmation of the hole in the hull of Soyuz MS-22

The American side used the remote manipulator of the American segment of the station to make a photo and video shooting of the instrument compartment of spacecraft "Progress MS-21". The images were forwarded to the Russian specialists on the ground for further analysis.

Images of the hole in the radiator were made by manipulator cameras of the American segment of the ISS. The size of the hole is less than a millimeter. Its presence suggests that the malfunction in the spacecraft's thermal management system was caused by external influences, said Yuri Borisov, head of ROSCOSMOS.

On February 11, ROSCOSMOS reported on the depressurization of the "Progress MS-21" spacecraft. It occurred in the cargo spacecraft coolant circuit, it was isolated from the total volume of the ISS. The crew of the spacecraft is not in any danger, stressed the ROSCOSMOS. For this reason, "Progress MS-21" will not be able to carry out its mission to return the astronauts to Earth.

A commission is working on the "Progress MS-21" case. Until the cause of the abnormal situation is determined, it was decided to postpone the launch of the "Soyuz MS-23" spacecraft in unmanned mode until March 2023. It is emphasized that the life and health of the ISS crew is not threatened.

"Soyuz MS-23" should return to Earth Russian cosmonauts Sergei Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, as well as NASA astronaut Francisco Rubio.