Can you believe it?
Try turning it off and on again.
NASA has reopened sections of the International Space Station (ISS) sealed off after what has now been confirmed to be a false alarm over an ammonia leak. The US agency confirmed midday Wednesday, Pacific Time, that the crew had been cleared to reenter the American-built wing of the orbiting lab, and that no evidence of any …
"You *really* wouldn't want to switch that one back on though."
...They did in the next movie (2010), although with the assistance of a specially trained engineer/phychologist (Dr Chandra). I wonder what the support callout fee was, all the way to Jupiter..??
Maybe it was an MDM (Multiplexor/Demultiplexor module) fault - these control thermal regulation, among many other things. Originally designed by Honeywell...
but at least some have been upgraded with newer Enhanced Processor and Integrated Communications (EPIC) cards (upgrade news).
Does that make the problem an EPIC failure?
A person exposed to harmful amounts of ammonia will notice it immediately because of the strong, unpleasant smell; strong taste; and likely irritation to the skin, eyes, nose and throat.
Best avoided on the ISS I would have thought!
From experience I have noticed that a very slow ammonia buildup may go unnoticed until it reaches an uncomfortable level.
I remember arriving late at work and smelling ammonia. Nobody else in that section of the building had yet noticed it - it was a leak into a cold airstream which cooled a store. I ordered the building evacuated. As people left a phone rang from the engine room. "we think there might be an ammonia leak....."