A deteriorating air leak on the International Space Station (ISS) led to five astronauts seeking shelter and preparing for evacuation for about two hours on Friday as Russia worked to repair a crack in its segment of the space station, NASA reported. The four members of the Crew-12 mission, including two American astronauts, one French astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut, along with another U.S. astronaut, were instructed by NASA mission control to enter the SpaceX-built Crew Dragon spacecraft docked to the station at 9:04 a.m. ET on Friday.
After evaluating the air leak rate, NASA rescinded the evacuation order and allowed the astronauts to return to the station. The ongoing debate between NASA and Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, has been focused on identifying the cause and solutions for small air leaks within Russia’s Zvezda service module, a critical section of the ISS where astronauts reside and conduct experiments.
Former NASA chief astronaut Chris Cassidy, who oversaw Expedition 63 on the ISS in 2020, recalled the initial awareness of the leak among staff. Despite efforts over the past few years to address the issue, it has remained a persistent challenge.
Roscosmos confirmed the detection of two leaks on the ISS but assured that there was no immediate danger to the crew. The first leak was swiftly sealed, and measures were being taken to address the second leak, with no impact on the spacecraft’s operations.
The air leak situation intensified on Friday, with the leak rate doubling from one pound to two pounds per day, according to a senior NASA official. This accelerated rate prompted concerns about the timeline for addressing the issue.
Currently, the ISS is hosting seven astronauts from two missions, with the Crew-12 team, consisting of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, arriving in February. The other crew, including one U.S. astronaut and two cosmonauts, reached the station in November.
Efforts to repair the leak involved plans by two cosmonauts to use a saw to access the area of the crack, a method that NASA officials opposed, leading to the implementation of safe-haven procedures by mission control in Houston.
Safe-haven orders are uncommon on the ISS, usually triggered by risks such as space debris or changes in air leak rates. Despite the challenges, astronauts have never had to evacuate the ISS in its 27-year history.
NASA eventually lifted the safe-haven order, allowing the astronauts to return to the station once Roscosmos paused repair efforts. Both agencies are collaborating to find a lasting solution to the air leak issue.
Pending legislation in the U.S. Congress aims to extend the operational life of the space station until 2032, providing additional time for companies to develop a replacement. The bipartisan support for the bill reflects a broader focus on bolstering U.S. presence in space to counter China’s expanding activities.
Efforts are underway in Congress to reach a consensus on the proposed legislation, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a strong foothold in space exploration.
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