Meet the New ISS Crew: NASA, JAXA, Roscosmos astronauts arrive aboard SpaceX Dragon

Four astronauts from different space agencies successfully arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) after their journey aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov entered the ISS after opening the hatches at 1:35 a.m. EDT.

A Warm Welcome at the ISS
As they stepped into the space station, they were greeted by the existing Expedition 72 crew, which includes NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Don Petitt, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore. They were also welcomed by Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner. The arrival of the new crew members marks another successful mission in international space collaboration.

Background of the Mission
This crew was launched as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to transport astronauts to and from the ISS using private spacecraft like SpaceX's Dragon. The Dragon capsule carrying the four astronauts was launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, continuing the tradition of using reusable rockets for cost-effective space travel.

The arrival of Crew-10 is a significant moment as it brings fresh expertise and energy to the ISS, ensuring that ongoing research and experiments continue smoothly. The astronauts will work on various scientific projects, conduct spacewalks if needed, and maintain the space station’s operations.

NASA’s Live Coverage
NASA is providing continuous live coverage of Crew-10’s arrival and their interaction with the existing crew. The coverage also includes farewell remarks from Crew-9, who will soon return to Earth after completing their mission. The event can be watched on NASA’s official streaming platform, NASA+.

This mission highlights the strong collaboration between space agencies across the world, reinforcing the ISS as a hub for global scientific advancements and human space exploration.