ISS Air Leak Doubles as NASA Orders Crew to Shelter, June 07

On June 5, 2026, NASA ordered five astronauts aboard the International Space Station to take shelter in a docked Crew Dragon spacecraft after an air leak in the Russian Zvezda module doubled overnight. The leak rate jumped from 1 pound to 2 pounds of air per day, prompting emergency protocols. A disagreement between NASA and Russia’s space agency Roscosmos over repair methods escalated the situation into a rare safety standdown.

How the Leak Worsened Overnight

The Zvezda service module’s transfer tunnel, called PrK, has leaked since 2019. On June 5, mission controllers detected the leak rate had doubled to 2 pounds of air per day, up from 1 pound. A NASA official told Reuters the sudden spike drove Roscosmos to plan more extensive repairs. The PrK connects to a docking port used by Progress cargo spacecraft and serves as a vestibule between sections of the station.

Why NASA Ordered the Safe Haven

Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev planned to cut a bracket to access the suspected leak source. NASA engineers in Houston disagreed with this approach, saying it posed elevated structural risk to the aging module. NASA directed astronauts to shelter in the Dragon at 9 a.m. Eastern on June 5. Less than two hours later, controllers told the crew they could exit the capsule and resume normal operations.

A Seven-Year Problem With No Fix

The Zvezda module has experienced cracks and small leaks since 2019. NASA officials said in a late-2024 meeting that the leak could lead to catastrophic failure. NASA and Roscosmos have long debated the cause and fixes. Roscosmos applied temporary and permanent sealants over the years, but the problem persists. As of June 6, the leak remained unresolved.

What Happens Next

Roscosmos paused the repair attempt on June 5 to assess new measurements. The five crew members aboard included four U.S. astronauts from Crew-12 and NASA astronaut Chris Williams, who arrived via Russian Soyuz. Safe-haven protocols are rare and typically reserved for imminent threats. The situation remains fluid as both agencies work toward a solution.

Final Thoughts

The ISS leak doubled in severity on June 5, forcing a rare emergency shelter order that lasted under two hours. With the problem unresolved since 2019 and NASA-Roscosmos disagreement ongoing, the station faces mounting pressure to find a permanent fix before the situation worsens further.

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