science · 18 July 1990 · 34 years ago
In 1990, the airlock hatch on the Soviet space station Mir could not be closed by the cosmonauts returning after a seven-hour space walk making an exterior inspection and repairs. The hatch had been damaged when it was pushed back on its hinges by residual air escaping when the cover was opened to begin the spacewalk. Instead, Anatoly Solovyov and Aleksandr Balandin stayed behind an interior airlock in another part of the station for eight days. After their next spacewalk to continue repairs on 26 Jul, they managed to secure the hatch and repressurize as normal.
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