NASA Reverses 'Safe-Haven' Order For Five Astronauts After ISS Air Leak Prompted Evacuation Alert

Last Updated:June 05, 2026, 22:02 IST

Air leak in Zvezda module doubled air loss on Friday, prompting NASA to briefly move five astronauts to SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

A worsening air leak aboard the International Space Station (ISS) briefly prompted NASA to place five astronauts on standby for a possible evacuation on Friday, as Russian experts worked to repair a crack in the Russian segment of the orbiting laboratory.

At 9.04 am ET, NASA instructed the four members of its Crew-12 mission — two American astronauts, a French astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut — along with another US astronaut, to move into their docked SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft as a precaution. The order was lifted about two hours later after discussions between NASA and Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos.

Two Leaks Identified

The concern centred on air leaks in the Zvezda service module, a crucial part of the ISS. According to Roscosmos, two leaks were identified. One was sealed quickly, while work continued on the second. The agency stressed that neither the crew nor the station’s systems were in immediate danger, Reuters reported.

A senior NASA official told the news agency that the leak rate had unexpectedly doubled, rising from about one pound of air loss per day to two pounds, triggering heightened concern.

No Immediate Threat To Crew: Roscosmos

The ISS currently hosts seven crew members. The Crew-12 team, which includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, arrived in February. They are joined by NASA astronaut Christopher Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev, who reached the station in November.

According to the NASA official, Kud-Sverchkov and Mikayev planned to use a saw to access a section believed to contain the leak. NASA reportedly opposed the approach, leading mission control in Houston to order temporary safe-haven procedures.

Stevens said NASA reversed the safe-haven order and told astronauts they could return the space station once Roscosmos paused its efforts to repair the crack. “We look forward to working with Roscosmos on a collaborative approach to address the leaks," she said.

Despite occasional emergency drills, no crew has ever had to abandon the ISS in its 27-year history.

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Manisha Roy

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish...Read More

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