NASA Astronaut Chris Williams, Crewmates Arrive at Space Station
NASA astronaut Chris Williams, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, arrived safely at the International Space Station on Thursday, bringing the orbiting laboratory’s crew to 10 for the next two weeks.
The trio was launched aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft at 4:27 a.m. EST (2:27 p.m. Baikonur Time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After a three-hour journey in two orbits, the spacecraft docked at 7:34 a.m. with the space station’s Rassvet module.
After the hatches open, scheduled for around 10:10 a.m., new arrivals will be greeted by the Expedition 73 crew, including NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman and Jonny Kim; Astronaut Kimiya Yui of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency); and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky and Oleg Platonov.
Live coverage of NASA opening the hatches begins at 9:50 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime and YouTube. Learn how to watch NASA content on various platforms, including social media.
During his time aboard the space station, Williams will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human space exploration and benefiting life on Earth. It will help install and test a new modular drive system for long-duration missions, support experiments to improve cryogenic fuel efficiency and grow semiconductor crystals in space, and help NASA design new re-entry safety protocols to protect crews on future missions.
Expedition 74 is scheduled to begin Monday, Dec. 8, after Kim, Ryzhikov and Zubritsky depart as they conclude an eight-month scientific mission aboard the orbital outpost.
Watch the change of command ceremony at 10:25 a.m. Sunday, December 7, as station leadership passes from Ryzhikov to Fincke, live on NASA+.
Learn more about the International Space Station, its crews, research and operations at:
https://www.nasa.gov/station
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Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov
