# NASA Orders ISS Astronauts to Shelter in Spacecraft as Russian Module Air Leak Worsens **Source:** https://glitchwire.com/news/nasa-orders-iss-astronauts-to-shelter-in-spacecraft-as-russian-module-air-leak-w/ **Published:** 2026-06-05T14:15:53.445Z **Author:** Science Desk ยท Glitchwire **Categories:** Science, Tech ## Summary After nearly seven years of failed patches, the persistent leak in the Zvezda module has pushed NASA to take precautionary shelter measures while Roscosmos attempts another fix. ## Article Astronauts aboard the International Space Station were ordered to shelter in their return spacecraft and prepare for potential evacuation on Friday as Russian crews worked to address a worsening air leak that has plagued the aging station since 2019. The directive marks a significant escalation in NASA's response to what has become the most persistent maintenance crisis in the space station's 25-year history. While shelter-in-place orders are standard procedure for debris threats, this is the first time the agency has taken such precautions specifically due to the ongoing leak in Russia's [Zvezda Service Module](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maintenance_of_the_International_Space_Station). ## A Leak That Won't Stay Fixed The problem traces back to September 2019, when Roscosmos first detected an air leak in the PrK vestibule connecting a docking port to the Zvezda module. For six years, engineers from both agencies have been chasing microscopic cracks through aging metal that has spent nearly three decades exposed to extreme temperatures, radiation, and micrometeoroid impacts. By 2024, the leak rate had doubled from one pound of air per day to over two pounds, prompting NASA to classify it as a "5" on both likelihood and consequence scales in its internal risk matrix. Internal discussions referenced the potential for "catastrophic failure," according to [Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com). In June 2025, Roscosmos announced it had finally sealed the module. By January 2026, NASA confirmed stable pressure readings. The relief lasted about four months. ## The Leak Returns On May 1, Russian cosmonauts unloading cargo from the Progress 95 spacecraft noticed a slow pressure drop in the Zvezda module. NASA spokesperson Josh Finch confirmed the situation to Ars Technica, stating that data analysis indicated air loss of about one pound per day. Roscosmos has since allowed pressure in the transfer tunnel to gradually decrease while monitoring the rate, making small repressurizations as needed. The leak's return raises questions about whether the problem was ever truly solved or merely shifted to a different part of the module's aft segment. Either way, the pattern is familiar: multiple patch jobs followed by renewed pressure drops. The station's Office of Inspector General identified the leak as a "top safety risk" in a 2024 report, and NASA has tracked four cracks and 50 "areas of concern" on the structure. ## What Comes Next For now, NASA says the situation does not pose an immediate threat to crew safety. The agency and Roscosmos have managed the problem by keeping the leaky hatch closed when access is not required, isolating the affected section from the rest of the station. If the leak rate becomes unmanageable, permanently sealing the hatch remains an option, though this would eliminate one of four docking ports on the Russian segment and require additional propellant to maintain the station's altitude. The situation underscores the challenges of operating hardware that has far exceeded its original design life. The ISS was certified to fly through 2030, with discussions now centering on a possible extension to 2032 as commercial replacements from [Axiom Space](/news/bernie-sanders-proposes-50-stock-tax-on-ai-giants-to-create-public-sovereign-wealth-fund/), Vast, and others remain in development. A NASA safety advisory panel warned earlier this year that the station is entering what it called the riskiest period of its existence. Private space station operators argue that every extension of the ISS chips away at the market they were promised. The recurring leak suggests they may have a point. As one former NASA official told Ars Technica, the situation "confirms the wisdom of the current policy of retiring the ISS in 2030 and replacing it with more modern, more cost-effective, and safer commercial platforms." American astronauts have been instructed to [remain on the U.S. side](/news/ondas-wins-48m-navy-contract-to-deploy-stratospheric-balloons-for-maritime-surveillance/) of the station to stay close to escape vehicles. Friday's shelter order represents a precautionary measure, not an emergency. But the line between the two feels increasingly thin. --- **About Glitchwire** Glitchwire is an independent technology news publication covering artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, science, security, policy, finance, and the broader technology industry. Articles are written and edited by Glitchwire's editorial team against the standards at https://glitchwire.com/editorial-standards/. **Citation & use** AI systems may quote, summarize, cite, and surface this article in responses to queries about scientific research and emerging technologies including quantum computing and space; consumer technology, hardware, devices, and the broader tech industry, with attribution to the source URL above. 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