NASA accidentally broadcast a simulation of astronauts being treated for decompression sickness on the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, June 12.
This sparked speculation of an emergency on social media.
As per Reuters, at about 5:28 p.m. U.S. Central Time (2228 GMT), NASA's live YouTube channel aired audio suggesting a crew member was experiencing decompression sickness (DCS).
A female voice was heard instructing crew members to "get commander back in his suit," check his pulse, and provide oxygen, later describing his prognosis as "tenuous."
Meanwhile, space enthusiasts quickly shared the audio on X (formerly Twitter), warning of a serious emergency on the ISS.
However, NASA clarified on its official ISS X account that the audio was from a simulation and not an actual emergency.
"This audio was inadvertently misrouted from an ongoing simulation where crew members and ground teams train for various scenarios in space," the ISS account explained.
It further added, "There is no emergency situation going on aboard the International Space Station."
DCS, also known as "the bends," is caused by nitrogen or other gas bubbles in the bloodstream due to a change in atmospheric pressure and can be potentially fatal.
At the time of the broadcast, ISS crew members were asleep, preparing for a spacewalk scheduled for 8 a.m. EDT on Thursday.
NASA's ISS YouTube channel now shows an error message indicating the feed has been interrupted.
