By Open Chronicle with agencies
NASA has instructed astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to prepare for a possible evacuation as Russian specialists work to repair a worsening air leak in the station’s Russian segment.
The precautionary measure was announced on Friday as concerns grew over the condition of a tunnel connected to the Zvezda service module, a key component of the Russian section of the orbiting laboratory.
NASA Orders ISS Evacuation Alert Over Air Leak
Four ISS astronauts donned spacesuits and sheltered in their Crew Dragon as an air leak on Russia's Zvezda module doubled on June 1. pic.twitter.com/X7hp25xr1P
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) June 5, 2026
According to NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens, the affected area has experienced cracks and air leaks for an extended period, with both NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos closely monitoring the situation.
“Following new leaks, Roscosmos has elected to proceed with a more extensive repair operation,” Stevens said in a statement posted on social media.
As a safety precaution during the repair work, NASA directed the four members of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission, along with NASA astronaut Chris Williams, to move into a heightened readiness posture aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked at the station. The Dragon capsule serves as an emergency return vehicle for astronauts if evacuation becomes necessary.
The Crew-12 mission includes two American astronauts, one French astronaut, and one Russian astronaut, reflecting the continued international cooperation that remains at the heart of ISS operations despite geopolitical tensions on Earth.
NASA emphasized that the order does not indicate an immediate emergency but is intended to ensure the crew can respond quickly should conditions deteriorate during the repair process.
The International Space Station, launched in 1998, is a collaborative project involving five major space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Daily operations are jointly coordinated by NASA and Roscosmos.
The air leak issue has been a recurring concern in recent years. Previous repair efforts have been carried out on the Russian segment, but newly detected leaks prompted Russian engineers to undertake a more comprehensive intervention.
As of Friday, seven astronauts and cosmonauts were living and working aboard the ISS, conducting scientific experiments, maintenance tasks, and technology demonstrations while orbiting Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometers.
Space agencies have stressed that the station remains operational and that safety protocols are functioning as intended. However, the incident highlights the challenges of maintaining an aging orbital platform that has been continuously inhabited for more than two decades.
Engineers from both NASA and Roscosmos are expected to continue monitoring the situation closely while repair operations proceed.