An air leak on the International Space Station (ISS) prompted NASA to instruct astronauts to temporarily take shelter in the SpaceX Dragon capsule on Friday. This precautionary measure was taken while Russian cosmonauts worked to address the issue on the Russian side of the station.

Precautionary Measures Taken

The decision to move the astronauts was made “out of an abundance of caution,” according to NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens, who communicated the situation via a post on X. The leak was discovered in the Zvezda service module transfer tunnel, a part of the station that has experienced similar issues in the past.

The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, and Chris Williams, European Space Agency’s Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev, and Andrey Fedyaev, followed protocol by moving into the Dragon capsule. This action was taken to ensure their safety while the situation was assessed.

Ongoing Repair Efforts

While partial repairs have been attempted previously, the Russian team was preparing for a more comprehensive repair operation. However, these efforts were paused to allow for further measurements and data analysis. Approximately two hours after the initial shelter order, the crew was instructed to “end the safe haven procedures” and resume regular operations.

The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of maintaining the aging space station, as NASA and Roscosmos continue to investigate the root causes of these recurring leaks. The safety of the astronauts remains a top priority as they work to ensure the integrity of the ISS.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.