Russian ISS Module Leak Prompts NASA to Use Crew Dragon as Safe Haven

NASA on Friday directed five of the seven crew members aboard the International Space Station to wait inside the docked SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft while Roscosmos addressed new leaks in a Russian transfer tunnel. The spacecraft served as a designated safe haven during the precaution.

NASA later told the crew it was comfortable ending the configuration and returning to normal operations after Roscosmos paused repair efforts and chose instead to take measurements and assess data.

The cracks have been the source of a small air leak that has persisted on and off for the last six years or so. The leak is considered a top safety risk. There have been several attempts over the years to repair the cracks.

"The cracks have always been a concern that NASA watches very closely," the agency said. NASA and Roscosmos have been trying to determine the cause of the cracks while the Russian space agency addresses the issue through operational mitigation measures and periodic partial-repair efforts.

Friday's effort came after Roscosmos noticed a slow pressure drop in the transfer tunnel last month following the arrival of a Russian cargo ship.

After new leaks appeared, Roscosmos initially planned a more extensive repair operation before deciding only to perform measurements. "We look forward to working with Roscosmos on a collaborative approach to address the leaks," NASA said in a statement.