NASA Offers Temporary Safety for Space Station Astronauts in SpaceX’s Dragon Due to Leak Issues

On Friday, NASA facilitated a brief stay for five astronauts inside a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which was docked at the International Space Station, as Russian teams worked to resolve a leaking service module.

Bethany Stevens, a spokesperson for NASA, noted on X that the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, had discovered additional leaks in its service module, prompting an “extensive repair operation.”

“As a precautionary measure, NASA advised all four members of SpaceX Crew-12, along with NASA astronaut Chris Williams, to enhance their safety protocols within the Dragon spacecraft during the repairs,” she stated. “We are working closely with our Russian partners and the broader international community to find a more sustainable solution.”

Shortly after, Stevens reported that Roscosmos had halted the repairs to reevaluate “additional measurements and data.”

“Given the current situation, NASA has instructed the crew aboard the Dragon spacecraft to ease their safety protocols and return to standard operations on the International Space Station.”

The Russian service module has been experiencing ongoing leakage issues. Stevens remarked on Friday that these cracks “are a recurring concern that NASA is closely monitoring.”

SpaceX has not yet commented on the situation.

Currently, the ISS is home to ten individuals: four (including two NASA astronauts, one from the European Space Agency, and one Russian cosmonaut) who joined in February as part of the extended SpaceX Crew-12 mission, alongside three others (a NASA astronaut and two cosmonauts) who arrived at the station last November via a Russian Soyuz mission.

The repair activities and temporary safety measures are occurring amidst ongoing uncertainties about the International Space Station’s future. With Jared Isaacman at the helm, NASA aims to replace the aging station with commercially produced modules over the next decade.

This article has been updated to reflect the conclusion of the sheltering procedure.