ISS Crew Returns to Station After Air Leak Prompts Brief Shelter Order
6 verified4 unconfirmed
Five astronauts aboard the International Space Station were ordered to shelter in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and prepare for a possible evacuation on Friday after new air leaks were detected in the Russian segment of the orbital lab. The order came from NASA while Roscosmos prepared a repair operation on the Zvezda service module’s transfer tunnel, which has suffered from cracks and air leaks for years. After about two hours, Roscosmos paused the repair to assess measurements and data, prompting NASA to instruct the crew to end the safe-haven procedures and resume normal operations. The leaks were discovered during pressurization of the Zvezda module’s transfer chamber. One leak was quickly sealed by Russian specialists using a sealant, while a second potential leak site remains unrepaired. NASA and Roscosmos have been debating the cause and fixes of the leaks, which have been a long-standing safety concern.
What’s verified
NASA ordered five astronauts aboard the International Space Station to shelter in a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and prepare for possible evacuation on June 5, 2026, due to an escalating air leak.
The astronauts were directed to leave the safe-haven procedures and return to normal duties after Roscosmos paused repair efforts on the Zvezda service module transfer tunnel to assess data.
The air leaks are located in the transfer tunnel of the Zvezda service module, known as PrK.
The four astronauts of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission and a fifth American astronaut, Chris Williams, were involved in the shelter order.
Roscosmos detected two air leaks during pressurization of the transfer chamber; one was sealed with a sealant, and a second leak site remains unsealed.
The leaks have been a long-term issue, with Roscosmos managing them through operational measures and periodic repairs.
Not yet confirmed
Specific names of the astronauts (Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, Andrey Fedyaev, and Chris Williams) appear in only one source.
One source reports that the leak rate escalated from one pound of air per day to two pounds as of Monday.
One source notes that a chartered spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary was postponed in June over leak concerns.
The duration of Chris Williams’ stay (190 days) and the names of other cosmonauts (Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergey Mikayev) appear in only one source.
Key figures
NASA Crew-12 astronauts (two US, one French, one Russian)
Chris Williams (NASA astronaut)
Bethany Stevens (NASA spokesperson)
Roscosmos (Russian space agency)
Zvezda service module (Russian ISS module)
Sources: The Guardian, theregister.com
