NASA accidentally broadcast a simulation on Wednesday of an astronaut being treated for decompression sickness on the International Space Station, sparking social media posts speculating about an emergency.
At approximately 6:28 p.m., NASA’s live YouTube channel broadcast audio indicating the crew was experiencing the effects of decompression sickness (DCS), NASA announced on its official ISS X account.
According to copies of the audio posted on social media, a female voice can be heard telling the crew to “put the captain back into his spacesuit,” taking his pulse, administering oxygen, then saying the captain’s prognosis was “gap.” NASA has not verified the recording or re-released it.
Several space enthusiasts posted links to audio alerting X that a serious emergency had occurred on the ISS.
“This audio was accidentally transmitted from an ongoing simulation in which crew and ground teams are training for various scenarios in space and is not related to an actual emergency,” a post from the ISS account said.
“There is no emergency on board the International Space Station,” he added.
DCS occurs when changes in air pressure cause nitrogen or other gas bubbles to form in the bloodstream, affecting the central nervous system and potentially leading to death. Commonly known as “the bends.”
According to a post from the ISS, at the time the audio broadcast was made, the ISS crew was sleeping in preparation for a spacewalk at 8 a.m. on Thursday.
At the time the audio was mistakenly broadcast, NASA’s ISS YouTube channel now displays an error message saying the feed has been interrupted.
