WASHINGTON — NASA directed astronauts aboard the International Space Station to shelter in a docked SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Friday as Russian cosmonauts worked to repair a worsening air leak.
The crew took precautionary measures in the U.S. spacecraft while repairs were carried out on the Russian segment of the station, according to NASA and Roscosmos officials. No evacuation has been ordered, and station pressure remains stable.
The leaks, located in the Zvezda module's PrK tunnel, have been a known issue since 2019, stemming from microscopic cracks. They recently escalated from about one pound of air per day to two pounds, prompting the shelter order during active repair work.
Roscosmos cosmonauts sealed one leak site and were preparing to address a second when work was paused for pressure measurements, officials said. The crew was later cleared to resume normal operations.
"This is a precautionary step to ensure crew safety while we address the issue," a NASA spokesperson said in a statement.
The International Space Station, a joint project involving NASA, Roscosmos and other international partners, has experienced occasional small air leaks in the past, which are typically managed through monitoring and sealing procedures. The current incident affected operations in the Russian segment.
NASA's Crew-12 astronauts, along with other crew members including flight engineer Chris Williams, moved into the Dragon as a safety measure. The Dragon spacecraft remains docked and capable of serving as a lifeboat if needed.
Officials from both NASA and Roscosmos are coordinating closely on the repairs. Details on the exact cause of the recent escalation remain under investigation.
As of Friday afternoon, the situation had stabilized with no immediate threat to the crew or the station's operations. Further assessments of the repairs were ongoing, NASA said.
