Successful Crew Capsule Relocation Takes Place Aboard ISS

On the morning of September 28, three astronauts relocated a Russian Soyuz crew capsule to a new port on the International Space Station, clearing the way for the entry of another Soyuz vehicle that will carry a Russian film crew -- to film the first commercial film in space... and beating out Tom Cruise.

The procedure went according to plan. "A perfect approach and a flawless docking," NASA spokesperson Rob Navias said.

On October 5th, launching from Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-19 will carry three Russian crew members that will complete their mission by docking at the ISS. The crew members include commander and cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and spaceflight participants Klim Shipenko and Yulia Peresild.

"Today's relocation is complete, the stage now set for next Tuesday's arrival of the Soyuz MS-19," Navias said. "A lot of activity coming up at the International Space Station over the course of the next few days."

Russian actress Yulia Peresild and film director Klim Shipenko will be the first two non-astronauts to arrive at the ISS since 2009. The movie they will be filming is called “The Challenge” and marks a first for the film community as well, as it will be the first film shot from space. The group will return back to Earth on October 17 on Soyuz MS-18.

The space station will see a departure of the SpaceX Cargo Dragon resupply ship packed with science gear and cargo for return to Earth before the film crew arrives. The undocking will take place on Thursday September 30th.

FMI: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html