NASA has ordered astronauts aboard the International Space Station to be ready to evacuate following an escalation of air leaks in a Russian module.
The problem centers on the Zvezda service module's transfer tunnel, PrK, which has had cracks and leaks since 2019. Roscosmos had previously contained them, but new leaks prompted a decision for more extensive repairs on Friday, June 5.
As a precaution, NASA instructed the four members of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission and US astronaut Chris Williams to implement maximum safety measures inside the Dragon spacecraft during the repair operation.
NASA press officer Bethany Stevens confirmed the situation in a statement on X, saying the agency continues working with Russian counterparts and the international community for a lasting solution.
NASA and Roscosmos have spent months discussing the cause and solutions. The leak rate recently increased from half a kilogram of air per day to a full kilogram. By comparison, an average adult inhales and exhales between 10 and 15 kilograms daily.
The evacuation order came at 9:04 a.m. US East Coast time on Monday, with the crew told to don spacesuits for emergency evacuation.