As the sun set on Friday, September 15, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying three space travelers arrived safely at the International Space Station, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing crew rotation on the orbital outpost. The spacecraft, crewed by NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, docked at the station just three hours after blasting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 11:44 a.m. ET.
The crew members of the Soyuz spacecraft made their way through the hatch at 5:16 p.m. ET, where they were warmly welcomed by the seven inhabitants already living on the station. The addition of O’Hara and her colleagues brought the population of the International Space Station to 10, a testament to the station’s role as a hub for international cooperation in space exploration.
O’Hara, who is going on her first orbital mission, is set to spend the next six months living and working aboard the ISS, alongside her two Russian colleagues who will remain on the station for a year. This six-month stay at the ISS will provide O’Hara with a unique opportunity to contribute to the station’s daily operations, conduct scientific experiments, and develop new skills and knowledge in space exploration.
The arrival of O’Hara and her colleagues comes at a time when the ISS is undergoing a period of crew rotation, with several astronauts and cosmonauts changing shifts over the past few weeks. Just over a week from now, a trio of space travelers led by NASA astronaut Frank Rubio will return to Earth aboard another Soyuz spacecraft, marking the end of a milestone mission that saw Rubio breaking the record for the length of time spent in orbit by a NASA astronaut.
NASA Astronaut Loral O’Hara
Rubio’s original mission was scheduled to last six months, but was extended after his Soyuz spacecraft suffered a coolant leak while docked at the space station last year. The damaged spacecraft was deemed too risky for crewed flight, prompting Roscosmos to reschedule Rubio’s return flight while it organized a replacement capsule. The rescheduling of Rubio’s mission had a ripple effect on the crew rotation schedule, delaying the arrival of O’Hara and her colleagues until now.
The arrival of O’Hara and her colleagues at the ISS is the latest in a series of crew changes on the orbital outpost. Last month, the station welcomed a new group of astronauts from SpaceX’s Crew-7 mission, while also bidding farewell to the four astronauts of the Crew-6 mission. Despite the challenges and complexities of space travel, the International Space Station remains a beacon of international cooperation and a driving force behind space exploration.
For O’Hara, her six-month stay at the ISS will be a significant milestone in her career as a NASA astronaut, offering her a chance to gain new skills and knowledge in space exploration. Her time on the station will involve conducting a range of scientific experiments and research projects, working alongside her colleagues to maintain the station’s systems and equipment. As she settles into life on the station, O’Hara will undoubtedly face numerous challenges and opportunities, from conducting hands-on experiments to enjoying the awe-inspiring views of Earth from the unique perspective of space.
