Mystery on the ISS

It prompted consternation in space and conspiracy theories on the ground: How, when, and why did a tiny hole appear in the side of the International Space Station? The mystery began in late August, when flight controllers noticed a small drop in the station’s internal air pressure. The leak was traced to a 2 mm hole in a Soyuz spacecraft connected to the ISS that had ferried three crew members to the station in June; it was repaired using a cloth soaked in ultra-strong sealant. Cabin pressure soon returned to normal. But when NASA tweeted—and then hastily deleted—photos clearly showing that the hole had been made by a drill, it prompted an uproar, reports TheAtlantic .com. The head of Russia’s space agency said he was “considering all theories” on the hole’s origins, and Russian politician and