Space crews aboard the International Space Station faced a looming crisis when Russian officials threatened to sever a critical load‑bearing bracket in the aging PrK module. NASA officials warned that removing the bracket could trigger a rapid depressurization. In response, the agency relocated its astronauts to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Freedom for safety.

The standoff dragged into Friday morning as Russian cosmonauts appeared to back off, only to later approach the module with a saw. Meanwhile, Roscosmos ignored NASA’s outreach. Facing the risk, NASA dispatched Crew 12—Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, and Andrey Fedyaev—along with Chris Williams to the Dragon, prompting Russia to finally relent after hours of tension the space station remained stable.

Roscosmos has now agreed to decommission the PrK module, meaning cosmonauts will no longer enter or pressurize it. Progress vehicles may still dock there for fluid transfers, but supplies must use alternate ports. For NASA, eliminating the module’s failure risk removes a long‑standing safety hazard, securing the station’s operational continuity for years ahead and mission integrity through the next decade and