Cracks in the International Space Station are causing air leaks – how much longer can it remain habitable?

By Christopher Newman, Professor of Space Law and Policy, Northumbria University, Newcastle

On June 5, 2026, Nasa ordered five astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to shelter in a docked spacecraft and prepare to abandon ship. The reason was a longstanding, but worsening, air leak in the Russian part of the station.

An hour and a half later, the alert was lifted, allowing the crew to resume their work. But the episode reminds us that humanity’s most expensive science experiment – and a remarkable symbol of international cooperation – is showing its age.…

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