Crew on International Space Station Temporarily Relocates Amid Leak Concerns
NASA temporarily directed five crew members on the International Space Station to take shelter in the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft due to concerns over cracks in a Russian module. Following further assessment, normal operations resumed.
Concerns over cracks in a transfer tunnel of the Russian segment of the International Space Station prompted NASA on Friday to instruct five of the seven crew members to temporarily seek refuge inside the docked SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, referred to as a "safe haven." Roscosmos, the agency operating the Russian section, opted to delay necessary repairs for further measurements to evaluate the air leak rate.
NASA later informed the crew—including Crew Dragon commander Jessica Meir and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot—that they could safely return to regular activities after initial precautions. In a statement, NASA expressed its eagerness to collaborate with Roscosmos to address the leak issues. The ongoing air leak has been a recurrent safety concern for about six years, and past repair attempts have yielded mixed success.
The situation escalated after Roscosmos detected a gradual pressure drop in the transfer tunnel last month, coinciding with a recent cargo arrival. NASA highlighted that both agencies have been investigating the causes of the cracks, while Roscosmos carries out mitigation strategies. A decision to advance with a more extensive repair was initially planned but was postponed in favor of further analysis. NASA confirmed that efforts are ongoing towards a more solid resolution, emphasizing collaborative work with international partners in supporting the space station.