A deteriorating 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 as Russia worked to address a crack in its part of the space lab, as per NASA. The four members of the Crew-12 mission, including two American astronauts, a French astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut, along with an additional U.S. astronaut, were instructed by NASA mission control to enter the SpaceX-built Crew Dragon spacecraft attached to the station at 9:04 a.m. ET on Friday, stated NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens.
After approximately two hours, NASA rescinded the order and allowed the astronauts to return to the station while monitoring the air leak situation. NASA and Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, the main operators of the station, have been in discussions for months regarding the cause and potential solutions for minor air leaks on Russia’s Zvezda service module, a critical component of the ISS where astronauts reside and conduct experiments in space.
According to Roscosmos, two leaks were identified on the ISS on Friday, but no immediate danger to the crew was reported. The first leak was swiftly sealed, and efforts were underway to address the second leak, with no threat to the spacecraft’s systems, as confirmed by Roscosmos. The air leaks, which had been relatively minor in recent months, escalated on Friday from one pound of air per day to two pounds, as indicated by a senior NASA official who preferred to remain anonymous.
The ISS is currently hosting seven astronauts from two missions, including the Crew-12 team and another crew that arrived in November. The crew members were instructed to take safe-haven measures after a disagreement arose on the repair method for the air leak. Safe-haven orders are infrequent on the ISS but are implemented in response to potential hazards like space debris collisions or fluctuations in air leak rates.
NASA later revoked the safe-haven directive, allowing the astronauts to return to the space station once Roscosmos paused repair efforts. Collaborative efforts between NASA and Roscosmos are ongoing to address the air leaks and ensure crew safety. Legislation is being considered in the U.S. Congress to extend the lifespan of the space station until 2032, aimed at providing more time for the development of a replacement.
