Emergency evacuation plans on standby as NASA's ISS battles air leak

An air leak was detected on May 1 in a Russian ISS module that has had cracking issues since 2019. About one pound of air escapes into space each day. The module is kept at lower pressure and can be periodically repressurized, while station operations continue without impact. NASA considers the problem among the highest-risk challenges and has discussed the possibility of catastrophic failure in internal meetings. Seven people are aboard the ISS, and they coordinate next steps. Emergency procedures remain in place, including isolating damaged sections by closing hatches between modules and, if needed, evacuating astronauts to docked spacecraft and back to Earth. Sensors would trigger alarms and prompt crew assessment and checks of escape vehicles.

"The leak, detected on May 1, is allowing roughly one pound of air to escape into space each day - about the weight of a loaf of bread. NASA said the affected module is being maintained at a lower pressure and can be periodically repressurized as needed, adding that station operations have not been impacted."

"However, the issue has become so serious that NASA has reportedly ranked it among the highest-risk challenges facing the station, with the possibility of a 'catastrophic failure' discussed during internal meetings. There are currently seven people aboard the ISS, including three NASA astronauts, one European Space Agency astronaut and three Russian cosmonauts, who NASA said are coordinating on next steps."

"While NASA said the leak poses no immediate danger, the agency maintains emergency evacuation procedures that would allow astronauts to abandon the station aboard docked spacecraft if the situation were to deteriorate. Those protocols include measures to isolate damaged sections of the station and, in an extreme scenario, evacuate astronauts back to Earth."

"If sensors detect a rapid loss of pressure, alarms immediately sound throughout the station and astronauts gather in a designated safe area to assess how much time remains before conditions become dangerous. The crew then checks docked spacecraft, such as a Soyuz or Crew Dragon capsule, to ensure their emergency escape vehicles have not been affected."

Read at Mail Online