NASA Temporarily Shelters Space Station Astronauts in SpaceX’s Dragon Due to Leak Issues

On Friday, NASA provided temporary shelter for five astronauts aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft docked at the International Space Station while Russian astronauts addressed a leaking service module.

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

“As a precaution, NASA advised all four members of SpaceX Crew-12, along with NASA astronaut Chris Williams, to maintain an elevated safety status within the Dragon spacecraft during the repair efforts,” she explained. “We are coordinating closely with our Russian counterparts and the broader international community to find a more permanent solution.”

However, about an hour later, Stevens noted that Roscosmos had suspended repair activities to review “further measurements and data.”

“Given the circumstances, NASA has directed the crew in the Dragon spacecraft to cease safe haven protocols and resume normal operations aboard the International Space Station.”

The Russian service module has consistently faced leakage problems. Stevens highlighted on Friday that these cracks “have been an ongoing concern that NASA actively monitors.”

SpaceX has not yet provided a comment on this situation.

Currently, there are ten individuals aboard the ISS. Four of them (two NASA astronauts, one European Space Agency astronaut, and one Russian cosmonaut) arrived at the station in February as part of the long-duration SpaceX Crew-12 mission. The other three (one NASA astronaut and two cosmonauts) arrived last November via a Russian Soyuz mission.

The repair operation and temporary shelter protocol occur amid ongoing uncertainties about the future of the International Space Station. With new leadership from Jared Isaacman, NASA plans to replace the aging station with commercially built modules over the next decade.

This story has been updated to indicate the conclusion of the sheltering process.