NASA tells ISS astronauts ‘prepare for evacuation’ over major leak risk

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) were ordered to shelter inside the Dragon spacecraft today due to a worsening air leak.

NASA said the issue is affecting part of the station’s Russian segment – the Zvezda service module transfer tunnel – a narrow, pressurised passageway at the back of the ISS.

This area has suffered from cracks and leaks which have worsened over time since 2019, forcing NASA to classify it as the station’s highest-level safety risk.

A crew member had been attempting repairs today while astronauts were told prepare for a possible evacuation if the situation deteriorated further.

Around two hours later, NASA paused repair efforts and said crew members sheltering on the Dragon spacecraft have been told to return to the ISS.

NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens said Russia’s cosmonauts trying to fix the problem had paused their attempts while “more measurements and data is assessed.”

She said: “We look forward to working with Roscosmos on a collaborative approach to address the leaks.”

Russia’s Roscosmos space agency said earlier that two leaks had been identified on board the ISS – and that one has already been fixed – according to the country’s Interfax news outlet.

The full impact of the air leak remains unclear.