Space Station astronauts face toxic leak during spacewalk

Adam Turner
Thursday, 01 February 2007 05:15

Science - Space

Astronauts have been forced to take extra decontamination procedures after encountering a toxic amonia leak during a spacewalk to connect the International Space Station's new cooling system.

Space station commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Sunita Williams spent an extra 25 minutes in the station's airlock after today's spacewalk to ensure their suits weren't contaminated with amonia. While they only encountered a few drops of the toxic substance while working on the new cooling system, it could have still been enough to contaminate the station's air supply. The crew takes extra precautions after astronaut Robert Curbeam's spacesuit was contaminated with amonia whilst working outside the station in 2001.

Today's spacewalk was the first of three planned over the next nine days, the most ever undertaken in such a short space of time without a space shuttle docked at the station. With only a three-person crew, only one crew mate is available to help the astronauts suit up for spacewalks - today Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin - and assist by operating the station's robotic arms and cameras.