The Internet was briefly sent into a panic yesterday, after a NASA audio feed from the International SpacStation (ISS) was accidentally “misrouted” to a public feed.
The ISS broadcasts its view live, including footage from cameras inside and outside the station. At time of writing, you can even watch astronauts conducting a live space walk.
While very cool, mishaps with the feed can happen, as evidenced on Wednesday when the public heard audio that sounded particularly concerning. In the audio, which was assumed to be ground control communicating with the ISS, you can hear a doctor advising on a medical emergency with one of the crew who was suffering from decompression sickness.
“So if we could get the commander back in his suit, get it sealed […] for suited hyperbaric treatment, section three for oxygen post splashdown, that would be my recommendation,” the unknown voice offering medical advice said in the feed. “Understand that this is a best effort treatment and so whatever you can do is going to be better than nothing.”
“I would like you to have 100 percent O2 flowing via mask while you get the suit on prior to closing the visor and pressurizing I’d like you to do a pulse check one more time,” the voice added.
While concerning to people listening in, NASA confirmed shortly after that the audio was in fact a training exercise conducted on the ground.
“There is no emergency situation going on aboard the International Space Station,” NASA explained in a statement posted to X (Twitter).
“At approximately 5:28 p.m. CDT, audio was aired on the NASA livestream from a simulation audio channel on the ground indicating a crew member was experiencing effects related to decompression sickness (DCS). This audio was inadvertently misrouted from an ongoing simulation where crew members and ground teams train for various scenarios in space and is not related to a real emergency. The International Space Station crew members were in their sleep period at the time. All remain healthy and safe, and tomorrow’s spacewalk will start at 8 a.m. EDT as planned.”
As oopsies go, it’s a pretty big one. But fear not, all is well on the ISS, and it’s reassuring to know that NASA has plans in action should any actual health emergencies take place.
