ISS live: NASA tells astronauts 'shelter now' over major leak in Russian segment

ISS live: NASA tells astronauts 'shelter now' over major leak in Russian segment Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have been told to prepare for evacuation over a worsening air leak Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have been ordered to shelter inside their spacecraft after a worsening air leak sparked safety concerns on the orbiting outpost. NASA said the issue is affecting part of the station's Russian segment, where a crew member is attempting repairs. The space agency warned the crew to prepare for a possible evacuation if the situation deteriorates further. The leak has occurred in the Zvezda service module transfer tunnel - a narrow, pressurised passageway at the back of the ISS. Key Events NASA says repair efforts aboard the International Space Station have been paused. Crew-12 - Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, and Andrei Fadeyev - is a long-duration ISS rotation mission under NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The astronauts were sent to space to: - Live and work aboard the ISS for around 8–9 months - Carry out scientific experiments in microgravity - Help with technology tests for future Moon and Mars missions - Conduct research in areas like medicine, biology, and materials science in space They are now sheltering inside their spacecraft while a crew member attempts to repair the air leak. An air leak on the ISS means that some of the breathable air inside the station is escaping into space through a crack, hole or faulty seal. Astronauts rely on that air to survive. It too much air escapes, pressure inside the station can drop, making it difficult or impossible to breathe. NASA has asked its astronauts to shelter "out of abundance of caution" while crews attempt to fix the leak. NASA has told the four astronauts to "assume an elevated safety posture in the Dragon spacecraft" while the Russian cosmonaut attempts to repair the air leak. The space agency said the advice to shelter is "out of an abundance of caution". It added: "We continue to work with our Russian counterparts, along with the rest of the international community that supports the space station, to arrive at a more permanent resolution." The four astronauts of NASA's Crew-12 mission received orders from NASA mission control at 9:04am ET (13:04 GMT) to enter their Crew Dragon spacecraft docked to the station and put on their spacesuits in case the air leak warrants an emergency evacuation, a NASA official said. The crew includes American astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, French astronaut Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency and Russian Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. Efforts are underway to seal a worsening air leak aboard the ISS, with a Russian cosmonaut carrying out repairs as the crew prepares for a possible evacuation. NASA said the leak is located in part of the station's Russian segment. Astronauts are currently sheltering inside their spacecraft. The air leak is taking place in the Zvezda service module transfer tunnel - a narrow, pressurised passageway located at the back of the International Space Station (ISS). This area has suffered from cracks and leaks for some time, says NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens. "The Zvezda service module transfer tunnel, known as PrK, has suffered from cracks and leaks for some time, and has been mitigated by Roscosmos as much as possible to date," she says. These cracks "have always been a concern" that NASA monitored closely. The space agency is working to "determine the root cause of the cracks," Setevens adds. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have been told to prepare for evacuation over a worsening air leak.