**Unveiling the Hatch: The ISS Overcomes a Smelly Hiccup**

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have successfully reopened the hatch to a recently arrived Russian cargo ship after initially sealing it off due to an unpleasant odor. The Progress 90 spacecraft delivered three tons of essential items, including food and fuel, but its arrival was met with an unexpected stench and strange floating droplets, prompting immediate action by the crew.

Upon docking the cargo ship to the ISS's Piosk module, astronauts noticed the unusual smell and decided to close the hatch as a precaution. Fortunately, the odor quickly dissipated, allowing cosmonauts Ivan Vagner and Aleksandr Gorbunov to proceed with unloading the supplies. According to NASA, the root cause of the smell was likely "outgassing from materials inside the cargo spacecraft," though it remains unclear if this affected any of the supplies.

In response to the smell, NASA's flight controllers activated air scrubbing equipment to ensure the air quality remained safe. Additionally, cosmonaut Vagner cleaned the ventilation systems and conducted thorough inspections to ensure no further issues. NASA has confirmed that the air quality on the ISS is normal, alleviating fears of contamination.

Progress 90 will stay docked to the ISS for six months. Unlike its predecessor, Progress 89, which carried out an orbit-raising maneuver to avoid space debris, Progress 90 will remain attached until it is loaded with trash from the space station and then deorbited to burn up in Earth's atmosphere.

In the broader picture, the ISS, which has been home to astronauts for over 20 years, is scheduled to retire by 2030. At the end of its mission, the ISS will make a controlled descent into Earth's atmosphere, with any unburned fragments expected to land in the remote Pacific Ocean region known as Point Nemo.