The International Space Station (ISS) is still leaking air from its Russian segment, despite recent repair attempts. Sergey Krikalev, executive director of Russia’s Human Space Flight Program, confirmed that the issue remains unresolved. The leak was first detected in 2019 and has persisted despite multiple efforts to locate and fix it.
The ISS is not considered a safety risk for the crew, but cracks in the aging structure are a concern. One possible solution is to seal off the affected section of the station, which would result in the loss of a Russian docking port. However, Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, hopes to avoid this option.
NASA’s recent Axiom 4 mission was postponed to allow engineers to investigate a new pressure signature after the repair attempt. The pressure appeared stable, suggesting that the issue may have been resolved. However, Krikalev noted that the leak has not fully disappeared and efforts continue to find and fix it.
The leak is being studied by scientists from Russia and the US as part of their collaboration on future space station designs. The ISS Management Office’s 2024 report highlighted cracks and leaks as a “top safety risk,” particularly with an increasing leak rate in 2024.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/01/iss_is_still_leaking