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[00:00.18] NASA recently ordered five astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to take shelter inside their docked SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

[00:10.79] This safety action was taken while two Russian crew members worked to repair new air leaks in a transfer tunnel of the Russian service module.

[00:20.36] An expert explained that while the situation was serious enough to prepare for a potential evacuation, it was handled as a standard, practiced safety procedure.

[00:31.51] The problem is that the ISS is an elderly spacecraft, and some parts have been operating since 1998, well beyond their original design life.

[00:40.28] Over the years, the structure has been stressed, especially when Russian Soyuz spacecraft dock with significant force.

[00:46.92] Although the cracks are not a new problem, the rate of the air leak suddenly increased.

[00:57.28] If the astronauts had needed to leave the ISS completely, they could have closed the spacecraft’s hatch and been safe within a minute. Fortunately, after a few hours of waiting without needing to put on their spacesuits, the repairs were completed, and NASA told the astronauts they could safely return to the station.