Houston, we don't have a problem

NASA accidentally broadcast a simulation of astronauts being treated for decompression sickness on the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, prompting speculation of an emergency on social media.

At 5.28pm US Central Time (6.28 am HK time), The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's live YouTube channel broadcast audio that indicated a crew member was experiencing decompression sickness (DCS).

Several space enthusiasts posted a link to the audio on X with warnings that there was a serious emergency on the ISS. "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 ISS account post said.

DCS, commonly known as "the bends," is caused by nitrogen or other gas bubbles in the bloodstream due to a change in atmospheric pressure, can affect the central nervous system and is potentially fatal.

Crew members on the ISS were asleep at the time in preparation for a spacewalk on Thursday.