On June 5, NASA asked its astronauts on the Crew-12 mission to get ready to leave the International Space Station (ISS). This decision was due to a long-term air leak on the Russian side. After a few tense hours, NASA said everything was safe again. The problem was not just the leak; it was Russian cosmonauts trying to fix it using a drill and a saw in space.
Earlier this year, the Russian team had used a sealant to stop the leaks in a transfer tunnel connected to the Zvezda module. This tunnel has lost air for years. If it becomes too pressurized, it could cause a dangerous explosion. However, the sealant seemed to work, but the leaks returned in May. On June 4, the Russian space agency Roscosmos told NASA they would drill into the station to solve the problem.
NASA did not agree with this plan and threatened to evacuate the astronauts. This warning made the Russian team stop a dangerous action. Now, they will stop using the tunnel and will not send cosmonauts there anymore. This means they cannot transfer cargo, but it removes the risk of an explosion. Future repairs to the station still seem uncertain.
