NASA Instructs ISS Astronauts to Prepare for Emergency Evacuation Due to Air Leak
NASA has instructed astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to prepare for evacuation due to deteriorating air leaks. The space agency directed the crew of NASA's Crew-12 mission, consisting of two U.S. astronauts, a French astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut, to seek shelter in their spacecraft and be ready for potential evacuation. The astronauts were asked to wear their spacesuits as a precaution in case an emergency evacuation is necessary. The air leak, originating from a Russian module, was first detected on May 1 and is causing approximately one pound of air to escape into space daily. The severity of the issue has prompted NASA to consider it a high-risk challenge, with the potential for a catastrophic failure being discussed internally.