ISS Astronauts Take Shelter in Dragon Capsule During Russian Segment Air Leak Repair
NASA astronauts temporarily sheltered in a docked SpaceX Dragon capsule on June 5 while Russian cosmonauts attempted repairs on a worsening air leak in the Zvezda service module of the International Space Station. The leak rate had escalated from approximately one pound of air per day to two pounds per day, with newly discovered cracks described as the longest yet observed. Operations resumed after about two hours when Roscosmos paused repairs to assess the situation further.
On June 5, NASA astronauts including Chris Williams and the SpaceX Crew-12 team were instructed to shelter in a docked Dragon spacecraft as a precautionary measure while Russian cosmonauts worked to repair escalating air leaks in the ISS's Russian segment. The leak rate had worsened significantly during the week, doubling from approximately one pound to two pounds of air per day. Cosmonauts identified two potential leaks in the Zvezda service module's transfer tunnel and successfully sealed one with Germetall-1 sealant, though the second remained unaddressed. After approximately two hours, NASA instructed the crew to resume normal operations aboard the station after Roscosmos paused repairs to further assess measurements and data. This incident represents the latest chapter in an ongoing problem with the Russian segment; cracks in the Zvezda module have been a known concern since 2020, with multiple previous repair attempts failing to fully resolve the issue.
Limitations & open questions
The sources do not specify the exact size or location of the newly discovered cracks, nor do they provide details on the root cause of the persistent leaks or the timeline for permanent repairs. Additionally, there is no discussion of potential long-term implications for ISS operations or crew safety protocols beyond this immediate incident.
What different sources said
- HackadayCenter
Questions Remain About Tense Moment Aboard ISS
- News18Center
'Danced, Snaked Its Way Below Us': NASA Astronaut Captures Stunning Southern Lights From SpaceX
- Space.comCenter
Astronauts on International Space Station take shelter in SpaceX Dragon as cosmonauts try to fix air leak
- The RegisterCenter
Serious ISS air leak forces NASA astronauts to temporarily take shelter in Dragon capsule
- Ars TechnicaCenter
The saga of the International Space Station air leak took a worrying turn Friday
- Scientific AmericanCenter
Astronauts take shelter on the International Space Station because of air leaks
- Science DailyCenter
NASA updates worsening ISS leak after crew safety alert
- GizmodoCenter
NASA’s Crew Safety Alert Exposed a Bigger ISS Leak Problem
- BBCCenter
Watch: Southern Lights timelapse filmed from space
- Hindustan TimesCenter
Stunning Southern Lights timelapse filmed by NASA astronaut from onboard SpaceX Dragon shuttle | Watch | Hindustan Times
- The Naked ScientistsCenter
Air leaks on the International Space Station
- The Naked ScientistsCenter
Air leaks on the International Space Station
Related
Nobel Laureates Rebut Study Claiming Universe's Expansion Is Slowing, Confirm Acceleration Continues
An international team of astrophysicists, including Nobel laureates Adam Riess and Brian Schmidt, has published a study in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society confirming that the universe's expansion is still accelerating. The rebuttal targets a late-2024 South Korean study that had claimed dark energy was weakening, a finding that would have overturned nearly three decades of cosmological understanding. The new study identifies two specific methodological errors in the earlier work, restoring confidence in the standard model of cosmic acceleration while leaving the deeper mystery of what dark energy actually is unresolved.
Study Finds Trees May Store Less Carbon Than Climate Models Predict
A new study published in Science Advances found that oak trees stop growing months before they stop photosynthesizing, meaning increased carbon uptake does not necessarily translate into more wood growth and long-term carbon storage. Researchers analyzed 137 sites across the US, finding that 26–36% of annual carbon uptake occurred after tree growth had already ceased, with drought and heat identified as key triggers for halting growth. The findings suggest that widely used climate models, which assume photosynthesis and growth are tightly linked, may be overestimating forests' future capacity to sequester carbon.
San Andreas Fault Stress Reaches Highest Level in 1,000 Years, Study Finds
A new peer-reviewed study finds that tectonic stress on Southern California's San Andreas and San Jacinto fault systems has reached its highest levels in at least 1,000 years, with the San Jacinto-Bernardino section measuring 3.6 megapascals. The research, led by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, used a computer model drawing on geological data including radiocarbon dating and tree-ring records to reconstruct a millennium of earthquake history. The findings cannot predict when a major earthquake will occur but are intended to improve hazard assessments, inform building codes, and guide emergency preparedness in a region home to millions.