Crew Members Seek Shelter on ISS Amid Ongoing Air Leak Repairs

NASA directed four astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to take temporary refuge in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on Friday morning as Russian cosmonauts addressed an ongoing air leak in the Russian segment of the station. The astronauts entered the Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft after the order, which was issued around 9 am EST, aimed to ensure their safety during the repair operation.

The leaks, detected in the PrK transfer tunnel of Russia's Zvezda Service Module, have been monitored for over five years, with engineers attributing the issue to microscopic structural cracks. Despite attempts to seal these cracks, a permanent resolution remains elusive. A NASA spokesperson noted, "Following new leaks, Roscosmos has elected to proceed with a more extensive repair operation... Out of an abundance of caution, NASA has directed all four of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-12 members... to assume an elevated safety posture in the Dragon spacecraft."

Approximately 90 minutes later, mission control confirmed that the crew could return to the station, as the Russian team had opted to conduct measurements instead of repairs at that time. The Russian cosmonauts had discovered two potential leak sites, with one site sealed using a specialized sealant, while work on the second site is being prepared.

Roscosmos stated there was "no threat to crew safety or onboard systems," adding that the station's pressure remains stable. Officials from both NASA and Roscosmos have not clarified what prompted the immediate repair efforts or when further actions might take place, including the potential necessity for US crew members to again seek shelter.