Five crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) were ordered to take shelter in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on [date not verified, omit] as a precautionary measure while repair work was carried out on persistent air leaks in the Russian segment of the station. The leaks, which had been detected over recent months, were located in the Zvezda service module's transfer chamber.
According to NASA and Roscosmos, the astronauts and cosmonauts safely returned to the main station after the repairs were completed. The operation involved sealing cracks that had been causing a gradual loss of cabin pressure. The crew's temporary move to the Dragon capsule was a standard safety protocol in case of a rapid depressurization event.
The ISS has experienced minor air leaks since 2019, primarily in the Russian segment. Previous repairs included patching cracks with epoxy and sealant. The latest repair appears to have been successful, with station pressure stabilizing. The crew, which includes NASA astronauts and Russian cosmonauts, resumed normal operations.
SpaceX's Crew Dragon, currently docked to the station, serves as a lifeboat for the crew in emergencies. The incident did not require an evacuation or early return to Earth. The station remains in good condition, and all systems are functioning normally.
