Skip to content
Russia to Permanently Seal ISS Air Leak Amid Ongoing Tensions with NASA

Russia to Permanently Seal ISS Air Leak Amid Ongoing Tensions with NASA

First seen 27 Oct 2026, 21:47 UTC • •
API

Article Content

Browse articles
ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •October 28, 2026 at 01:47 UTC
  • •Roscosmos plans to permanently seal the PrK tunnel on the ISS due to an ongoing air leak.
  • •The air leak's severity has increased significantly, prompting safety measures for astronauts.
  • •NASA and Roscosmos have disagreements on the leak's management and repair strategies.

Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, plans to permanently close the PrK transfer tunnel on the ISS due to a persistent air leak first detected in 2019. Despite multiple repair attempts, the leak's severity has increased, with rates peaking at 3.7 pounds per day. Tensions between NASA and Roscosmos have escalated over the leak's management, leading to safety precautions for astronauts during repair attempts. The Progress MS-36 cargo mission will be the first affected by this closure, requiring supplies to be unloaded through a different module. NASA has not confirmed the closure, and there are disagreements over the leak's root cause and repair methods. The situation remains as the leak has not been fully resolved, and astronauts were previously instructed to shelter in place due to safety concerns.

Start a free Starter trial for enhanced analysis

Ask AI about this cluster

Updated just now How this analysis works

Timeline

2019-01-01
Air leak first detected
The air leak in the PrK transfer tunnel was first identified, leading to ongoing monitoring and repair efforts.
Gizmodo
2024-04-01
Leak rate peaks
NASA reported the air leak rate peaked at 3.7 pounds per day, elevating the situation to the highest risk level.
Gizmodo
2026-10-27
Closure of PrK tunnel announced
Roscosmos decided to permanently close the PrK tunnel to isolate the air leak from the rest of the ISS.
Gizmodo

More articles in this cluster (4)

Extracted Entities (1)

1 / 2

Common questions

What is the current status of the air leak?
The air leak in the PrK tunnel is still unresolved, prompting Roscosmos to permanently seal the tunnel.
How has NASA responded to the situation?
NASA has expressed concerns over Roscosmos' repair methods and has taken safety precautions for astronauts.
What will happen to cargo deliveries?
Cargo deliveries will now be unloaded through the Poisk module instead of Zvezda due to the tunnel closure.