Because of the leak, the ISS astronauts had to be here. SpaceX Dragon, take refuge in the capsule.

ISS astronauts had to shelter in place in the SpaceX Dragon capsule due to an air leak.

Russian cosmonauts attempted a repair, but it has since been suspended.

NASA has ordered astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to shelter in place and prepare for possible evacuation, according to a BBC report. It comes after Russian space agency Roscosmos discovered an air leak in the transfer tunnel while docking a cargo ship.

Five of the seven astronauts currently aboard the ISS have sheltered in place inside the docked SpaceX Dragon craft. The ship was designated as a “safe haven” as two Russian cosmonauts attempted to repair it. The air leaks were coming from cracks in the transfer tunnel.

The Zvezda Service Module transfer tunnel, known as PrK, has been suffering from cracks and leaks for some time and has been mitigated as much as possible by Roscosmos so far. Cracks have always been a concern that NASA monitors very closely. NASA and Roscosmos worked...

— Bethany Stevens (@NASASpox) June 5, 2026

NASA spokeswoman Bethany Stevens said astronauts have since resumed their planned operations aboard the ISS, while Russian cosmonauts have suspended repair efforts "as more measurements and data are evaluated." She also says the space agency looks forward to working with Roscosmos on a collaborative approach to addressing the leaks.

We do not have a timetable at this time. When this first happened, NASA suggested that the cosmonauts were conducting a serious repair operation today. However, this appears to have been put on hold for some reason.

This is not the first time the station has faced this problem, as these cracks have been causing sporadic problems for about six years. The astronauts made piecemeal repairs that were not designed to last. The next repair mission will likely be a larger operation aimed at eliminating the problem once and for all.