6 months ago
23
NEW DELHI:
Nasa
inadvertently broadcasted a
simulation
depicting astronauts being treated for
decompression sickness
on the
International Space Station
(ISS) on Wednesday, leading to widespread speculation and concern on social media.
At approximately 5:28 pm US Central Time (2228 GMT), Nasa's live YouTube channel transmitted audio suggesting a crew member was suffering from the effects of decompression sickness (DCS), according to an official statement from Nasa on its ISS X account.
The audio captured a female voice instructing crew members to "get the commander back in his suit," check his pulse, and provide oxygen, with the prognosis described as "tenuous." The recordings quickly spread across social media platforms, fueling rumors of a serious
emergency
aboard the ISS.
However, Nasa clarified that the audio was mistakenly broadcasted from a simulation where astronauts and ground teams practice responding to various scenarios in space. "This audio was inadvertently misrouted from an ongoing simulation and is not related to a real emergency," the ISS X account posted. "There is no emergency situation on the International Space Station."
Decompression sickness, also known as "the bends," occurs when nitrogen or other gas bubbles form in the bloodstream due to changes in atmospheric pressure, which can severely affect the central nervous system and may be fatal. Despite the alarming audio, Nasa reassured the public that crew members on the ISS were in their scheduled sleep period at the time of the
broadcast
, as they prepared for a spacewalk at 8 am EDT on Thursday.
Following the incident, Nasa's ISS YouTube channel, where the audio was broadcast, displayed an error message indicating the feed had been interrupted.
(With agency inputs)
