UMaine wireless leak detection system installed on space station, NASA reports
NASA reported in its weekly recap that the crew of the International Space Station has installed a wireless leak detection system that was developed at the University of Maine. On a spacecraft, leaking air, fluids or gases can cause stability problems and jeopardize crew members’ safety, according to the article. Air leaks can cause ultrasonic noise that humans cannot hear, but detecting the sound is a useful way to monitor for leaks and pinpoint their location. The investigation compares signals received at various ultrasonic sensors to reveal the location of air leaks to be repaired, the article states. After two days of readings, a NASA astronaut retrieved the sensors and downlinked the data to scientists on Earth, including Ali Abedi, a professor of electrical and computer engineering who led the UMaine project with his students.