Toxic Smell from Progress MS-29 Triggers Decontamination Procedures on ISS

Cosmonauts opening the new Progress MS-29 cargo ship that docked with the International Space Station yesterday observed a toxic smell and droplets. Decontamination procedures reportedly were implemented on both the U.S. and Russian segments. NASA posted a statement late today that air quality now is normal and there is no danger to the crew.

Progress MS-29 launched on Thursday and docked at 9:31 am ET yesterday morning, November 23, at the Poisk module, which is attached to Russia’s Zvezda Service Module. NASA refers to Progress MS-29 as Progress 90. The Poisk module also is designated MRM-2.

 

Anatoly Zak of RussianSpaceWeb.com posted on social media at 12:55 am ET this morning and on his website about what happened next based on communications between NASA mission control in Houston and the ISS crew.

There are reports from #ISS about toxic smell aboard the newly arrived Progress MS-29 cargo ship, which forced to urgently close the hatch into its cargo compartment
Details: https://t.co/KnQZt2OYER pic.twitter.com/tQi08GGekS

— Anatoly Zak (@RussianSpaceWeb) November 24, 2024

According to Zak, when the cosmonauts opened the hatch between Poisk and Progress MS-29 yesterday, they noticed a “toxic smell” and “droplets” and immediately closed the hatch.

“Various systems aboard the ISS were activated to scrub the station’s atmosphere from possible contamination, while the hatch of the Poisk module leading into the pressurized cargo compartment of the Progress M-29 spacecraft remained closed. In particular, the Trace Contaminant Control Sub-assembly, TCCS, was turned on aboard the US Segment. The Russian crew was also reported donning protective equipment and activating an extra air-scrubbing system aboard the Russian Segment, which operated up to a half an hour. — Anatoly  Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com

He added that NASA astronaut Don Pettit reported a “spray paint-like” smell in part of the U.S. segment, Node 3, “but it was not immediately clear if it had originated from Progress MS-29.”

UPDATE: Jay Keegan (@_jaykeegan_) posted audio of the space-ground discussion on X that includes Pettit’s remarks and a summary of what was said.

The crew on the ISS noticed an odd smell during the Progress-29 hatch opening. Here is what we know so far, and a recording of the loops. The crew was never in danger.

This information is based on an update to the crew on the public ISS nets between -19:56 UTC on Nov. 23rd and… pic.twitter.com/Iqsd7vU1Me

— Jay (@_jaykeegan_) November 24, 2024

NASA did not provide any public information until 4:33 pm ET today when it confirmed via a post on X (@Space_Station) that the cosmonauts “noticed an unexpected odor and observed small droplets.” NASA did not address what decontamination measures were used, only that “air scrubbers and contaminant sensors” monitored the atmosphere and by today it is at normal levels.

“On Nov. 23, the unpiloted Progress 90 resupply spacecraft successfully docked to the International Space Station’s Poisk module. After opening the Progress spacecraft’s hatch, the Roscosmos cosmonauts noticed an unexpected odor and observed small droplets, prompting the crew to close the Poisk hatch to the rest of the Russian segment. Space station air scrubbers and contaminant sensors monitored the station’s atmosphere following the observation, and on Sunday, flight controllers determined air quality inside the space station was at normal levels. There are no concerns for the crew, and as of Sunday afternoon, the crew is working to open the hatch between Poisk and Progress while all other space station operations are proceeding as planned.” — NASA on X (@Space_Station)

UPDATE: On November 25, NASA posted on the ISS blog that “the odor likely was outgassing from materials inside the cargo spacecraft.”

Russia has been experiencing air leaks in a transfer tunnel, PrK, to a docking port at the aft end of the Zvezda module that is also used for Progress cargo spacecraft, but this is a different port. Progress MS-28 (Progress 89) is currently docked at the aft end.

Progress spacecraft routinely deliver supplies to the ISS. Another one, Progress MS-27 (Progress 88), just undocked on November 19.  NASA’s use of numbers like Progress 88, Progress 89, and Progress 90 indicate how many have supplied the ISS, but they have been in use since 1978 to resupply the Soviet/Russian space stations Salyut 6, Salyut 7, and Mir.  Progress has been upgraded several times, but its basic function is the same.