In a startling claim, Russian sources allege that NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor drilled a hole in a Soyuz module during her 2018 ISS mission amid an emotional crisis, aiming for an early return to Earth, per TASS. NASA categorically denies these accusations.
Flashback to 2018: Russian cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, and NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor arrived at the ISS in June via Soyuz MS-09. Late August revealed a 2mm hole in the orbital module's hull, risking depressurization within two weeks. The crew swiftly sealed it, and the spacecraft safely returned the trio to Earth in December.
A micrometeoroid was ruled out. Initial Russian media pointed to manufacturing or testing defects as the likely cause. However, some Russian government sources floated unsubstantiated rumors implicating a U.S. astronaut.
To investigate, two Russian cosmonauts conducted a spacewalk in December 2018, sampling and photographing the site. Though the probe concluded internally, results stayed confidential until recently.
Journalist Mikhail Kotov interviewed an anonymous high-ranking Russian space official—reportedly Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin by Ars Technica—for TASS. The official insisted the damage couldn't stem from ground testing, as vacuum chamber checks would have detected any pressure drop.
Focus shifted to Auñón-Chancellor, who experienced deep vein thrombosis during the mission. This, the source claimed, may have triggered an "acute psychological crisis" leading to "attempts by various means to hasten [her] return to the planet."
Notably, cameras monitoring the Russian-U.S. segment junction malfunctioned at the time. Russia also lacked access to U.S.-side tools to check for Soyuz hull metal traces.
Of eight drill marks, only one penetrated fully—others appeared as "drill jumps" common in microgravity without proper support. The hole's location on a structural frame suggested the driller lacked Soyuz assembly expertise.
NASA rejected the claims outright. "NASA astronauts, including Serena Auñón-Chancellor, are highly respected, serve their country, and make invaluable contributions," stated Kathy Lueders, head of human spaceflight. "We support Serena and her professional conduct. We do not believe there is any credibility to these accusations."
The notion of an astronaut covertly sabotaging a Russian module seems implausible. ISS pressure drops were logged in late August 2018, with no U.S. astronauts near Soyuz then—data shared with Russia at the time.
Ars Technica deems a ground incident most likely: a technician possibly damaging the craft pre-launch, patching it crudely to pass tests, only for it to fail in orbit.
