The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft carrying two Russians and an American successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, just over three hours after its launch.
Launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the capsule was propelled into orbit atop a towering rocket and completed two Earth orbits before linking up with the space station—a notably swift journey compared to previous missions that have taken days.
Mission commander Alexey Ovchinin, alongside Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner and American astronaut Donald Pettit, now join the existing crew on the ISS. Prior to their arrival, the already stationed astronauts conducted extensive system checks to ensure a smooth integration of the new arrivals.
The launch proceeded without any apparent issues, with the Soyuz entering orbit eight minutes post liftoff. This successful mission comes as a relief to Russian space authorities, especially after a previous launch in March was aborted due to a voltage drop in the power system.
On the ISS, Ovchinin, Vagner, and Pettit will work alongside NASA astronauts Tracy Dyson, Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Jeanette Epps, Butch Wilmore, and Suni Williams, as well as Russian cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams extended their stay on the station beyond their initial schedule. Originally arriving in June aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule, their mission was complicated by thruster issues and helium leaks, leading NASA to delay their return. The duo is now slated to return to Earth aboard a SpaceX spacecraft next year.
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Soyuz spacecraft with 2 Russians and 1 American docks at ISS
cgtn.com
