Russian Soyuz Spacecraft Carrying Astronauts Arrives at the International Space Station
September 15, 2023
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft, named MS-24, successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) today, just three hours after lifting off. The spacecraft, carrying two cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut, arrived at the orbiting lab while flying 260 miles above eastern Kazakhstan.
The quick journey to the ISS took only 3 hours and 9 minutes after Soyuz MS-24 lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, which is operated by Russia. Although it wasn’t a record-breaking trip, the short duration demonstrates the efficiency of space travel.
On board the Soyuz spacecraft are NASA’s Loral O’Hara and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub from Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency. Approximately two hours after docking, the hatches between the Soyuz and the ISS were opened, allowing the three spaceflyers to float aboard the orbiting lab.
O’Hara, Kononenko, and Chub will join seven other spaceflyers already on the ISS. The two cosmonauts will embark on a year-long mission, while O’Hara will return to Earth in six months. This is the first spaceflight for O’Hara and Chub, while Kononenko is an experienced cosmonaut who has already spent a total of 736 days in orbit across four previous ISS missions. During his year-long stay, Kononenko is set to break the all-time record for the most time spent in space, currently held by fellow cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, with 878 days.
In addition to the arrival of Soyuz MS-24, the wheels are now in motion for another ISS departure. On September 27, a Soyuz spacecraft carrying cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin, along with NASA’s Frank Rubio, is scheduled to return to Earth. By that time, Rubio would have spent a continuous record of 371 days in space, the most for an American astronaut.
The successful arrival of the Soyuz MS-24 highlights the ongoing collaboration between Russia and NASA in advancing space exploration and research. As the astronauts settle into their new environment, their work on the ISS is set to contribute to scientific discoveries and the understanding of long-duration space travel.
(Editor’s note: This article was updated at 5:30 p.m. ET with news of the hatch opening between the Soyuz and the ISS.)