An escalating air leak on the International Space Station (ISS) led five astronauts to seek refuge and prepare for potential evacuation for about two hours on Friday while Russia worked to address a crack in its segment of the space lab, NASA reported. The crew of four from the Crew-12 mission, comprising two American astronauts, a French astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut, were directed by NASA mission control to enter their SpaceX-manufactured Crew Dragon spacecraft attached to the station. The order was later rescinded as NASA and Russian space agency Roscosmos assessed the air leak situation.
NASA and Roscosmos have been in discussions for months regarding small air leaks in Russia’s Zvezda service module on the ISS, where astronauts reside and conduct experiments in space. According to Chris Cassidy, a former NASA chief astronaut, the issue was first identified during his command of Expedition 63 in 2020. Roscosmos confirmed the detection of two leaks on the ISS on Friday but assured that there was no immediate danger to the crew.
The first leak was swiftly sealed, and efforts were underway to address the second leak, with no impact on the spacecraft’s systems, as per Roscosmos. The rate of air leaks had increased on Friday, causing concern among officials. The ISS accommodates seven astronauts from two missions, including the most recent Crew-12 members who arrived in February and another crew that arrived in November. Plans to access and repair the leak were being discussed, with differing opinions between NASA and the Russian cosmonauts.
Emergency procedures were activated, requiring crew members to return to their designated spacecraft for safety. NASA eventually lifted the safe-haven order after Roscosmos paused its repair attempts. Although rare, safe-haven orders have been issued on the ISS due to various threats over the years, but evacuations have never been necessary in the station’s history. Discussions are ongoing in the U.S. Congress to extend the ISS’s operational life until 2032 to allow for the development of a replacement station.
The legislative proposal has bipartisan support and aims to counter China’s expanding presence in space. Lawmakers are working to finalize the legislation to secure the future of the ISS and advance space exploration initiatives.
