NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (left) toured the Orion Crew Module with Jon Olansen (center), Accent Abort-2 Crew Module Project Manager, and Mark Kirasich, Orion Program Manager on Aug. 2, 2018, in Houston.
Photo: Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer / Staff photographer
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine vowed Thursday to speak to the head of the Russian space agency after reports that the cause of a hole found on the International Space Station last year would be kept secret.
But he was careful to point out that he doesn't want this situation to destroy the country's relationship with Russia, a partner in space since 1975.
"They have not told me anything," Bridenstine told the Houston Chronicle during a question and answer session at a Houston energy conference. "I don't want to let one item set (the relationship) back, but it is clearly not acceptable that there are holes in the International Space Station."
A hole that was allowing air to escape was discovered Aug. 30 in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft attached to the station. The crew was able to plug the hole quickly without any adverse effects on board. But if left unchecked, the leak could have resulted in total air loss for the station in 18 days.
