Overview

• July patching efforts slowed air loss from the PrK vestibule in the Zvezda module but failed to fully seal the breach.
• Detected in 2019, the leak rate has climbed from about one pound of air per day to over two pounds daily.
• NASA delayed the Axiom 4 private mission in June after module sensors registered a brief return to nominal pressure.
• Roscosmos and NASA are conducting joint diagnostics on aging Russian hardware to prevent recurrence and ensure crew safety remains unaffected.
• Agencies are weighing permanently closing Zvezda’s hatch, which would eliminate a docking port but preserve overall station integrity.