Station Crew Expands To 10 For Next Two Weeks

NASA astronaut Chris Williams, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, arrived safely at the International Space Station on Thursday November 27. During the next two weeks the station’s complement will expand to 10 crew members.

The three spacefarers were launched on the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft at 4:27 am EST (2:27 pm local time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They arrived at the station three hours later after two orbits of Earth, and docked to the Rassvet module of the ISS at 7:34 am EST.

The hatch was expected to open at 10:10 am when the new arrivals were to be welcomed by the Expedition 73 crew that includes NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, and Jonny Kim, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexei Zubritsky, and Oleg Platonov.

NASA coverage of the hatch opening was set to include NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

Williams will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations during his time on board the orbiting lab. Those activities are intended to advance human space exploration as well as benefit life on Earth. He will also help install and test a new modular workout system for long-duration missions, grow semiconductor crystals, and help with experiments to improve cryogenic fuel efficiency.

Williams will also assist NASA in the design of new re-entry safety protocols to improve crew protection during future missions.

Leadership of the ISS will transfer from Ryzhikov to Fincke in a change of command ceremony at 10:25 am Sunday December 7. The ceremony will be covered live on NASA+. Following that on Monday December 8, Expedition 74 will begin when Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky conclude an eight-month science mission and depart the station.

FMI:  www.nasa.gov/