Russian crew to examine mysterious hole in Soyuz spacecraft

Spacewalking astronauts have ripped through thick insulation for a capsule docked to the International Space Station interested in clues in regards to mysterious drilled hole that caused a leak four months ago.

Russians cosmonauts Sergei Prokopyev and Oleg Kononenko located the tiny hole within the external hull of the Soyuz capsule, greater than five hours onto their gruelling spacewalk.

“That is likely hole we’re in search of, guys,” radioed Russian Mission Control outside Moscow.

In August the station crew plugged the opening from inside with epoxy and gauze. Russian space officials wanted it surveyed externally prior to a Soyuz module detaches next week an extra shot Prokopyev as well as two others to Earth. The holed section is not used for re-entry, so poses no recourse for descent.

Prokopyev and Kononenko were required to use a two of telescoping booms to realize the Soyuz. It took nearly four hours to cross the approximately 30 metres on the capsule along with the insulation proved harder to cut out than expected, taking one more to 2 hours of effort.

Bits of shredded silver insulation floated away because the two took it off having a knife and long cutters therefore they could collect a 2mm sample on the black epoxy sealant protruding on the hole. Mission control repeatedly urged them to take a few minutes’ rest.

The capsule leak caused tension amongst the US and Russian space agencies. The Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin observed that it could have been drilled during manufacturing or in orbit. Originates from station’s commander back then flatly denied any wrongdoing on his own or his crew.

Rogozin has since backpedalled and accused the media of twisting his words.

The spacewalkers reported seeing not one of the drill marks within the hole which were visible inside.

A Russian investigation is ongoing, in line with Rogozin, and samples collected within the spacewalk will likely be returned to Earth within the Soyuz.