Astronauts Are Preparing To Evacuate The ISS If This Problem Gets Any Worse

The International Space Station has been dealing with an air leak since at least 2020. The leak, which was first detected within the Zvezda service module transfer tunnel has continued to worsen. However, NASA previously maintained that the leak was not a threat to the astronauts aboard the station. That seems to have changed recently, though, as the space agency actually enacted a shelter-in-place for NASA astronauts aboard the ISS due to ongoing attempts to repair the air leak.

The safe haven directive went into effect on Friday, June 5, 2026, and was only used out of an "abundance of caution" according to the reports. However, after only a few hours, NASA rescinded the order, with Bethany Stevens, a spokesperson for NASA sharing on X that the NASA and SpaceX astronauts had been ordered to return to normal operations aboard the ISS while NASA and Roscosmos (Russia's space agency) continued to gather more data about the leak and its cause. 

According to reports made by Tass, Roscosmos discovered two leaks along the Zvezda tunnel. The agency was able to fix one of these leaks immediately, but the second has been more difficult to seal as it is located on the conical portion of the station section. This news has sparked new concerns over the leak itself, as well as whether or not the seven members aboard the ISS might need to be evacuated due to it in the future.

Over the years, the International Space Station has seen more than its fair share of issues. Despite dodging space debris and fixing up leaking coolant issues caused by micrometeorites hitting attached spacecraft, the iconic space station has served as a key component for scientific research and our understanding of space since it was first occupied in 2000. However, as the air leak in the Zvezda service tunnel has continued to worsen, it seems even NASA is growing more concerned about the ISS's longevity and whether it will make it to the station's planned decommissioning in the 2030s.

Bethany Stevens shared on Twitter that NASA and Roscosmos will continue to look into the leak within the Zvezda tunnel. The two agencies have reportedly argued back and forth about the cause, though with no clear resolution being put in place just yet. No matter what happens, it is clear that these leaks have become enough of an issue to make others hesitate. A mission was delayed in 2025 due to the Zvezda leak before ultimately seeing the first astronauts from Hungary and Poland visit the station. 

Considering the past year of events surrounding the ISS, like the fact two astronauts were stranded for several months in 2024 and 2025, as well as the ISS's significance to NASA's research, having to evacuate the station is not the most optimal outcome. Thankfully, there is a spacecraft connected to the station that the NASA astronauts would be able to take advantage of if they needed to.