Credited from: SCMP
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) were ordered by NASA to shelter in their spacecraft and prepare for potential evacuation as a Russian crew works to address a significant air leak. This decision came on June 5, 2023, as part of precautionary measures following the deterioration of air leak conditions, which were previously manageable, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.
The four astronauts of NASA's Crew-12 mission, which includes two Americans, a French astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut, were told to enter their Crew Dragon spacecraft and don their spacesuits following instructions from mission control at 9:04 AM ET. NASA has indicated that the air leak rate increased dramatically, creating a potential safety threat, with measurements reportedly rising from one pound to two pounds of air lost each day, according to South China Morning Post.