NASA has withdrawn a precautionary evacuation alert issued to astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) after assessing an air leak risk in coordination with Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos.
The alert was triggered on Friday following a sharp increase in the rate of air leakage from Russia’s segment of the orbiting laboratory, prompting five astronauts to temporarily take shelter inside a docked SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft as a contingency measure.
According to Reuters, the four-member Crew-12 mission, comprising two NASA astronauts, a French astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut, alongside another American astronaut, were instructed by NASA mission control to enter the spacecraft at about 9:04 a.m. ET as engineers monitored the situation.
The precautionary order remained in effect for nearly two hours before NASA cleared the astronauts to return to normal operations after consultations with Roscosmos and a review of updated leak data.
The incident stems from a long-running issue involving small air leaks aboard the Russian-built Zvezda service module, a key component of the ISS. NASA and Roscosmos have spent months debating both the source of the leaks and the most effective repair strategy.
Roscosmos said its specialists detected two separate leaks, adding that one had already been sealed while preparations were underway to address the second. The agency stressed that neither the station’s systems nor crew members faced any immediate danger.
Concern intensified after the leak rate reportedly doubled on Friday, rising from approximately one pound of air per day to two pounds, according to a senior NASA official cited by Reuters.
The ISS currently hosts seven astronauts representing multiple international space agencies. The Crew-12 team arrived at the station in February, while another three-member crew has been aboard since November.
It is reported that tensions emerged over proposed repair procedures. Two Russian cosmonauts reportedly planned to use a cutting tool to access a suspected leak location, a method NASA officials opposed due to safety concerns. The disagreement contributed to NASA’s decision to activate safe-haven procedures while discussions continued between both agencies.
NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens said the evacuation order was lifted after Roscosmos paused the repair attempt, allowing both sides to pursue a coordinated approach.
“We look forward to working with Roscosmos on a collaborative approach to address the leaks,” Stevens said.
Safe-haven procedures are uncommon aboard the ISS and are typically reserved for potential emergencies such as space debris threats or significant technical anomalies. Despite nearly three decades of continuous operation, astronauts have never been forced to evacuate the station in its 27-year history.
The incident nevertheless highlights the growing challenges of maintaining ageing infrastructure aboard the ISS as international partners continue discussions over the station’s future beyond the end of the decade.
Source: Reuters
