Russian agency detects two air leaks on the Space Station

The Russian space agency Roscosmos reported this Friday (5) that it detected two air leaks at the International Space Station (ISS). According to the agency, the problems were identified in the Zvezda module, one of the main structures in the Russian segment of the orbital laboratory.

According to Roscosmos, the first leak has already been repaired with the application of an airtight compound. Technicians are now working to seal a second air loss point located in the tapered part of the module's transition compartment.

The announcement was made hours after NASA placed the astronauts of the Crew-12 mission in a state of readiness for a possible evacuation from the ISS. The crew members were instructed to wear their spacesuits and remain close to the Crew Dragon capsule, which can be used in a possible emergency.

Despite the identification of the two leaks, the Russian agency stated that the situation does not pose an immediate threat to the safety of the crew. Roscosmos reported that the station's internal pressure remains stable and within expected operational levels.

The International Space Station is operated in partnership by the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada and has been continuously inhabited since 2000. In recent weeks, space authorities in the United States and Russia have been monitoring a gradual increase in air loss in the Zvezda module, which has previously reported leaks.

Crew-12 Mission
Crew-12 is the 12th operational crew rotation mission flown by SpaceX to the International Space Station (ISS) within NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission was launched in February 2026 and aims to replace part of the team working in the orbital laboratory, ensuring the continuity of the station's scientific and technical operations.

Aboard the Crew Dragon capsule traveled astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, astronaut Sophie Adenot, from the European Space Agency, and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, from the Russian space agency Roscosmos. After launch, the spacecraft docked with the ISS's Harmony module.

The four crew members were sent to stay in space for approximately nine months. During this period, the team is responsible for conducting scientific research in a microgravity environment, monitoring station systems and carrying out maintenance activities necessary for the functioning of the orbital complex.

Among the main objectives of the mission are experiments related to human health in space, development of new technologies, studies on the effects of microgravity on living organisms and research that could contribute to future long-term space exploration missions, including projects aimed at the Moon and Mars.

Currently, the members of Crew-12 are precisely the astronauts who remain on board the ISS and who received a warning from NASA about a possible evacuation after an air leak increased in the Russian Zvezda module. As a preventative measure, they were instructed to wear their spacesuits and remain close to the Crew Dragon capsule, which functions as an escape vehicle in case of emergency.

See images of ISS astronauts:

https://admin.cnnbrasil.com.br/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/06/202606051212.mp4

What is the International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is a scientific laboratory that orbits the Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometers. Considered the largest structure ever built by humans in space, it functions as a permanent base for research in a microgravity environment and has been continuously inhabited since the year 2000.

The project is the result of an international partnership that brings together the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan and European countries. The station is made up of several interconnected modules, which serve as work areas, laboratories, dormitories, life support systems and places to carry out scientific experiments.

The main function of the ISS is to allow studies that cannot be carried out under conditions found on Earth. The almost total absence of gravity enables research in areas such as medicine, biology, physics, chemistry and engineering, helping scientists to better understand the behavior of the human body and different materials in space.

In addition to contributing to scientific advances with applications in everyday life, the station is also used to test technologies that could be used in future space exploration missions. Much of the knowledge obtained on the ISS is considered essential for projects that aim to take astronauts back to the Moon and, in the future, to Mars.

The station completes approximately 16 laps around the Earth per day and can house up to seven crew members on long-duration missions. Currently, the ISS remains one of the main symbols of international cooperation in space exploration and one of the most important scientific platforms ever developed by humanity.

Getting to know the Crew Dragon
The Crew Dragon is a spacecraft developed by the private company SpaceX to transport astronauts and cargo between Earth and the International Space Station (ISS). Currently, it is the main vehicle used by NASA to transport crew members to and from the orbital laboratory, within the North American space agency's Commercial Crew Program.

Designed to operate with a high degree of automation, the capsule can transport up to seven people and performs most of the mission stages without manual intervention from the astronauts. The vehicle has automated navigation, docking and return systems, although the crew can take control in specific situations.

The Crew Dragon is launched into space attached to the Falcon 9 reusable rocket. After reaching Earth orbit, the capsule continues to the ISS, where it docks autonomously. Missions typically last several months, during which time astronauts live and work on the station carrying out scientific research and maintenance activities.

In addition to transporting teams to the ISS, the spacecraft also plays an essential role in emergency situations. When docked to the station, the capsule remains ready to be used as an evacuation vehicle in the event of an incident requiring the rapid evacuation of the crew, such as technical failures, fires or air leaks.

The return to Earth is one of the most complex phases of the mission. The Crew Dragon detaches from the station, re-enters the atmosphere at speeds exceeding 27,000 kilometers per hour and uses a heat shield to withstand extreme temperatures generated by friction. In the final stage, parachutes reduce the capsule's speed before controlled landing in the ocean, where recovery teams wait to rescue the astronauts.

Meet the Crew Dragon, the ship that will "save" Starliner astronauts

Source: CNN