Last reviewed: 5 June 2026
NASA ordered the Crew-12 astronauts aboard the International Space Station to shelter in their SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on Friday 5 June 2026, after a worsening air leak in the Russian segment of the station.
## What happened? At 13:04 UTC on 5 June 2026, NASA mission control issued a safe-haven order to the four members of the Crew-12 mission. The astronauts - two US astronauts, a French astronaut from the European Space Agency, and a Russian cosmonaut - were directed to enter their docked Crew Dragon spacecraft, don spacesuits, and prepare for a potential emergency evacuation. The order came as Russian cosmonauts from a separate crew attempted a more extensive repair operation on a transfer tunnel inside the Zvezda service module, which had been suffering from cracks and leaks for some time.
- Evacuation order issued: 13:04 UTC, 5 June 2026
- Module affected: Zvezda service module transfer tunnel (PrK), Russian segment
- Crew sheltering: 4 members of NASA Crew-12 mission
- Shelter vehicle: SpaceX Crew Dragon docked to the station
- All-clear issued: within 2 hours, after repair attempt was paused
- ISS current crew total: 7 astronauts across two missions
## What is the Zvezda module? The Zvezda service module is the primary living quarters for Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS. It was launched in July 2000 and forms the structural backbone of the Russian segment. The module has been in orbit for over 25 years. NASA and Roscosmos have been monitoring cracks and leaks in the Zvezda module for several years. The leak rate had been classified at "high risk" levels in the period leading up to the June 5 incident. ## Was the crew in immediate danger? NASA issued the safe-haven order as a precautionary measure while Russian crew members attempted a structural repair. The agency said it disagreed with the repair method being used - Russian cosmonauts were using a saw to access the area of the crack - which prompted the decision to move the Crew-12 team to the Crew Dragon. Within approximately two hours, Mission Control gave the all-clear for the crew to return to normal operations. The repair attempt had been paused pending new measurements and assessment. ## What happens if the ISS is evacuated? A full evacuation of the ISS would see all crew members return to Earth in their docked escape vehicles. The Crew Dragon is designed to carry up to 4 people. A Soyuz spacecraft, used by Russian crew members, can carry up to 3. The ISS is currently funded and staffed under agreements running to 2030, with NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency all participating.
