ISS standoff: NASA-Roscosmos clash over a saw amid ongoing leak
TL;DR
Five astronauts shelter in the SpaceX Crew Dragon after a leak in the PrK transfer tunnel prompts an evacuation-safe haven order. NASA argued that a planned bracket-cutting to inspect a suspected leak was too aggressive for an active pressure boundary, and Roscosmos paused the work, allowing the crew to return to the ISS while the crack remains unsealed. The leak, ongoing since 2019, has fluctuated and approached about two pounds of air lost per day. The episode highlights ongoing differences in engineering culture and risk tolerance between NASA and Roscosmos as the aging ISS continues operation toward 2030–2031 with shared-module contingencies.
- Five astronauts just spent hours hiding inside a Dragon capsule while the ISS leaked — and the real story isn't the hole, it's the argument NASA had with Roscosmos over a saw Space Daily
- NASA Provides Update on Space Station Leak NASA (.gov)
- NASA directs its ISS crew members to board spacecraft amid leak repair attempt CNN
- NASA reverses evacuation alert order for astronauts aboard space station Reuters
- Space station crew briefly moves to "safe haven" amid concerns over leaks CBS News
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