METHOD FOR DETERMINING IN ORBIT LOCATION OF LEAK IN HOUSING OF MANNED SPACECRAFT Russian patent published in 2024 - IPC G01M3/04 

FIELD: spacecraft technologies.

SUBSTANCE: method for determining in orbit the location of a leak in the body of a manned spacecraft (SC) relates to space-based means of detecting faults. A method for determining in orbit the location of a leak in the body of a manned spacecraft includes isolating the spacecraft compartment and recording the positions of air movement visualization elements (AMVE) using time-lapse photography. Additionally, by turning off the spacecraft's attitude control engines and air ventilation means in the spacecraft compartment, the compartment is isolated by closing its transition hatches. By means of frame-by-frame recording, rigidly fixed filming equipment is used to measure in time the coordinates of locations relative to the body of the AMVE compartment, made of dielectric material and having a mass and size, the values of which are determined taking into account the condition of the AMVE being captured by the air flow directed to the leak site, and their identification in the shooting frames. Using the measured coordinates, the speed and acceleration of the electric motors relative to the compartment body are determined and the moments of their deposition on the inner surface of the compartment are recorded. An AMVE is distinguished, the average acceleration of which at a certain time interval ending with the moment of its deposition is an order of magnitude higher than its average acceleration up to a given time interval and whose speed at the moment of deposition is an order of magnitude higher than its average speed up to a given time interval. The location of the leak is determined by the location of the deposition point of the isolated AMVE.

EFFECT: increasing the accuracy and simplifying the detection of the location of damage to the sealed body of a manned spacecraft in flight.

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