Emergency Training on the ISS

There are many possible reasons for triggering the alarm on the international space station, fire for toxic leaks and pressure loss. When an alarm sounds, the six astronauts who live on top of our planet must react quickly and safely.

As on Earth, emergency drills are practiced to ensure that in an emergency, the astronauts are ready to react. In this photo, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst wears a mask during an emergency exercise held on August 28, 2018. He was a volunteer firefighter during his school years.

Fires or toxic leaks are a major concern for space stations even more than on Earth because astronauts live in a closed system, there is no way to open a window to let in the space. 39 fresh air or an external evacuation meeting point. Instead, the astronauts gather in a safe place on the space station where they have access to their Soyuz spacecraft that serves as a lifeboat and could bring them home if the worst happens. Once together, the crew will work with Mission Control to identify the cause of any emergency and agree on the action to be taken.

Last week, the mission's control saw a slight loss of pressure in the international space station, but the situation was so weak that no emergency was declared. Nevertheless, the astronauts met and searched for the leak using an "ultrasonic sniffer" that detects the sound of moving air. The leak was found in the orbital module of Soyuz, a section of the spacecraft that does not return to Earth but burns harmlessly during its return. Thanks in part to the frequent training and diligence of the astronauts, the leak was quickly detected and corrected.

Alexander commented on Twitter about the incident that he "showed again how valuable our emergency training is.We could locate and stop a small leak in our Soyuz, thanks to excellent cooperation between the crew and control centers on several continents. "

Pay attention to all safety instructions, practice is perfect and repetition allows you to rely on your knowledge in an emergency situation.

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