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Astronaut has sighted leakage of ammonia in orbit. / February 15, 2010 /

During exit astronauts Space Shuttle Endeavor in the open space there was a small leak of ammonia. Its crystals astronaut Nicholas Patrick said when took the lid off the connector in the system of thermoregulation of the new module "Tranquility» (Tranquility) on the ISS.

As reported at NASA, in accordance with the rules of the flight suit of Patrick is now considered contaminated, although traces of ammonia on its own astronaut has found. As a precautionary measure to clear the spacesuits astronauts will have to spend extra time in the airlock before returning to the station.

The leakage occurred during the accession of ammonia lines to the system of foreign thermoregulation module «Tranquility». At the site of NASA reported that the astronauts have successfully completed this task. After some additional work, they returned to the ISS.

Together with Patrick in the open space was Robert Behnken. During the mission, «Endeavor» for the second time they left the station. All three planned EVAs. The main objective of the mission — to install the module «calm» and mount it on the dome of the review, which, in particular, will watch from aboard the ISS for the work of the crane.

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