CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A little over a day following its launch, a SpaceX crew capsule successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, bringing aboard a new team of astronauts to replace NASA’s pair who have been stranded for months.
The newly arrived team comprises four astronauts representing the United States, Japan, and Russia. They will initially receive orientation from the current occupants, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been at the station for an unexpectedly extended period. Later in the week, Wilmore and Williams will depart in their own SpaceX capsule, which has been stationed at the ISS since last year. Their mission, which was initially planned to last only a week, has now been extended to nine months since its commencement in June.
This prolonged stay was due to persistent issues with the Boeing Starliner capsule, leading NASA to instruct that the craft return to Earth without its crew. This decision left Wilmore and Williams waiting for transport via SpaceX.
As the station’s seven current residents awaited their replacements, Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner added a moment of levity by donning an alien mask. Upon arrival, Butch Wilmore opened the hatch and rang the station’s bell to welcome the newcomers, who were met with warm hugs and handshakes.
“It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive,” Williams shared with Mission Control.
Wilmore and Williams’s initial transportation arrived with a reduced crew in late September, reserved for the journey back. Unfortunately, complications arose again when issued emerged with the new crew’s capsule, requiring extensive battery repairs. This resulted in their return mission being rescheduled with an older capsule and delayed until mid-March.
Weather conditions permitting, the SpaceX capsule carrying Wilmore, Williams, and two additional astronauts is expected to disengage from the ISS early Tuesday, with plans to touch down off Florida’s coast later that day. Until then, the ISS will be home to a total of 11 astronauts, representing the U.S., Russia, and Japan.
This mission marks another step forward in international cooperation aboard the orbiting laboratory and illustrates the challenges of space exploration.