New Effort To Reduce Noise On Space Station

The three astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) are experimenting with ways of making their temporary home less noisy, the Russian centre for the control of space flights (TSOUP) said Monday.

Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, US astronaut Jeffrey Williams and their German colleague Thomas Reiter will install Tuesday special soundproofing for the station's fans, TSOUP, based at Korolev near Moscow, said.

In June they began work on soundproofing the air purification system, Rimma Bogatova, of the institute of medical and biological problems, said, cited by the Itar-Tass news agency.

That experiment yielded "good results, cutting the noise level by nine decibels", she said.

But "the noise level on the space station is still above the norms," said institute vice-director Valeri Bogomolov, according to Itar-Tass, though he did not say what those norms were.

To protect their hearing the station's passengers have to wear earplugs or anti-noise caps while working near noisy equipmenmt and even while asleep.