ISS crew prepares for potential evacuation due to air leak in Zvezda module

NASA has instructed astronauts aboard the International Space Station to prepare for a potential emergency evacuation following an worsening air leak. The leak is located in the transfer tunnel of the Russian Zvezda service module, specifically in the PrK section. As a precautionary measure, the four-member crew of the Crew-12 mission was ordered to shelter within the docked Crew Dragon spacecraft and don their spacesuits. NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens confirmed that the station’s management has been concerned about cracks in the Zvezda transfer tunnel for some time. Roscosmos is working to identify the root cause and mitigate the damage while monitoring the situation closely. Although the situation remains under control, the crew is on high alert while repair efforts continue. The crew currently consists of two American astronauts, one French astronaut, and one Russian cosmonaut.