International Space Station Crew Returns Early Due to Leak
Four members of the International Space Station (ISS) began their return to Earth on Wednesday following the discovery of a leak, according to NASA. The crew departed in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and splashed down off the coast of Florida at 11:53 PM EST on January 15, 2026.
NASA announced the leak on January 14, 2026, stating it originated in the Russian segment of the ISS.While the leak did not pose an immediate threat to the crew, officials steadfast an early return was the safest course of action. the size of the leak was initially reported as a 0.2-millimeter hole, but grew to 1.2 millimeters before being sealed by cosmonauts on board. NASA Press Release
The returning crew consists of NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Matthew Dominick, along with Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko. They had been aboard the ISS for approximately six months, conducting scientific research and maintaining the station.
Three astronauts remain on the ISS: NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and scott Tingle,and cosmonaut Nikolai Chub. They will continue operations until the next crew rotation. The next crew launch is scheduled for February 2026. Spaceflight Now
This incident marks the second time in recent years that a leak has prompted adjustments to ISS operations. In 2022, a small leak was detected and repaired in the Zvezda service module. reuters
