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Three Astronauts Successfully Dock at ISS
After a lengthy two-day chase in orbit, three astronauts have successfully arrived at the International Space Station (ISS). The Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft, launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, docked with the ISS at 11:03 a.m. EDT (1503 GMT) on March 21, marking the culmination of their journey.
The crew on board the Soyuz includes NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, Oleg Novitskiy from the Russian space agency Roscosmos, and Marina Vasilevskaya, a spaceflight participant from Belarus. The hatches between the spacecraft and the ISS are set to open at approximately 1:40 p.m. EDT (1740 GMT) today, allowing the crew to transition from the Soyuz to the space station.
Notable Crew Members
Oleg Novitskiy, a seasoned cosmonaut, is embarking on his fourth spaceflight, while Tracy C. Dyson, representing NASA, is on her third space mission. Marina Vasilevskaya, making her debut in space, is on her first mission. Dyson is slated to remain in orbit for approximately six months, fulfilling the role of a flight engineer for ISS’ Expeditions 70 and 71. On the other hand, Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will spend around 12 days on the ISS before returning to Earth in early April aboard a different Soyuz, accompanied by NASA’s Loral O’Hara.
Station Residents and Special Guests
The arrival of the Soyuz MS-25 crew means more company for the current inhabitants of the ISS, including astronauts who recently arrived on SpaceX’s Crew-8 mission for NASA. Station residents such as Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps from NASA, and Alexander Grebenkin from Roscosmos will continue their stay on the ISS for approximately six months.
This mission was originally scheduled for Thursday, but an unexpected electrical problem with the rocket prompted a delay until Saturday. Nonetheless, the crew’s successful docking at the ISS is a significant milestone in their mission and an exciting development for space exploration.
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