NASA preparing astronauts for ISS evacuation to shelter after air leak discovered
NASA has confirmed a leak on the International Space Station and said that it's getting worse.
Astronauts have been told to take shelter and are preparing for a potential evacuation.
The space agency explained that while there have been 'cracks and leaks for some time' (reportedly for six years), there has been 'new leaks' which require a 'more extensive repair operation' today (5 June).
This worsening air leak was said to be taking place on the Russian segment (Roscosmos) of the station, specifically in the Zvezda service module's transfer tunnel which is known Two Russian crew members are reportedly trying to urgently fix it and it the Russian agency has now said the first leak spot has been sealed.
Advert
While Roscosmos has typically used a sealant to cover a crack (an apparent long-running issue), it has opted to use a saw in this case to get to the area needing repairs.
In the meantime, astronauts have been asked by NASA to assume an 'elevated safety posture' in the Space X Crew Dragon 'Freedom' spacecraft that is docked at the International Space Station.
Spokesperson Bethany Stevens shared on X: "The Zvezda service module transfer tunnel, known as PrK, has suffered from cracks and leaks for some time, and has been mitigated by Roscosmos as much as possible to date.
"The cracks have always been a concern that NASA watches very closely. NASA and Roscosmos have been working to determine the root cause of the cracks, and Roscosmos manages the issue through operational mitigation measures and periodic partial-repair efforts.
"Following new leaks, Roscosmos has elected to proceed with a more extensive repair operation on Friday, June 5. Out of an abundance of caution, NASA has directed all four of the agency's SpaceX Crew-12 members and NASA astronaut Chris Williams to assume an elevated safety posture in the Dragon spacecraft while the repair is underway.
"We continue to work with our Russian counterparts, along with the rest of the international community that supports the space station, to arrive at a more permanent resolution."
As the spokesperson said that cracks 'have always been a concern', it's said issues with air leaks at the International Space station have been reported since 2019.
And it's reported that when a Russian cargo ship arrived last month, Roscosmos noticed a 'fresh slow pressure drop' in the tunnel. And so, it has gone beyond its patchwork fixes with this attempt of a more extensive operation today.
Jess Battison