Astronauts Return to ISS After Air Leak Repair Attempt Prompts Shelter

Five astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have returned to their normal duties after taking shelter during a Russian attempt to repair a small air leak. The crew members temporarily relocated to the US segment of the orbiting laboratory as cosmonauts worked on the leak located in a tunnel area of the Zvezda service module.

The procedure, which involved isolating certain modules and applying a sealant, was part of an ongoing effort to address a minor but persistent air leak detected in the Russian segment of the ISS. Although the leak posed no immediate danger to the crew, standard safety protocols dictate such sheltering during complex repair operations to ensure astronaut well-being.

Following the repair attempt and subsequent monitoring, the five astronauts were cleared to return to their respective modules and resume their scientific experiments and station maintenance tasks. The nature and success of the repair are currently under evaluation by mission control teams on Earth.