SpaceX Successfully Delivers New Crew to International Space Station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX achieved another milestone by delivering a new crew to the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, completing the journey in just 15 hours. The crew includes four astronauts from the U.S., Russia, and Japan who launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Upon arrival, the astronauts will spend at least six months conducting research and operations aboard the ISS, replacing their colleagues who have been stationed there since March. SpaceX plans to return the current crew as early as Wednesday.
The new team consists of NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. Each was originally slated for different missions. As soon as the capsule docked, Fincke acknowledged their entry with a cheerful, “Hello, space station!”
Cardman and another astronaut were initially removed from a previous SpaceX flight to accommodate two NASA astronauts who faced delays related to the Boeing Starliner program. With the Starliner grounded due to technical issues until 2026, Fincke and Yui switched to the SpaceX mission for this opportunity.
Platonov had also seen delays due to a past health issue that prevented him from initially launching with Soyuz.
With the arrival of this new crew, the ISS now hosts a total of 11 occupants. Cardman remarked on the stunning view of the space station as they entered, highlighting the awe-inspiring nature of their mission.
While this trip was impressively quick by American standards, it’s worth noting that the Russian space program holds the record for the fastest journey to the ISS, achieving the feat in a remarkable three hours.
