BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan – Three new crewmembers have joined the International Space Station, including a US grandfather who is poised to enter the record books during his time there, NASA said.
The Russian spacecraft carrying the astronauts docked at 11:09 a.m. yesterday (Philippine time) about 407 kilometers above the Pacific Ocean, off the western coast of Peru, according to the American space agency.
Just over two hours later, crewmates Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin of Russia, and Jeff Williams, a grandfather of three and a veteran of long-duration space missions, floated into the orbital outpost after hatches were opened to allow their entry.
“Welcome to @Space_Station! Hatches are opened and the crew onboard grows from three to six members,“ NASA tweeted.
According to NASA, the trio orbited the earth four times in their approximately six-hour journey to the ISS.
“Can’t believe we just left the planet and we’re here already,” said Williams, in a call to friends and family gathered back on Earth, which was broadcast online by NASA TV.
By the end of his half-year trip aboard the ISS, Williams “will become the American with the most cumulative days in space – 534” and the “first American to be a three-time, long-term ISS resident,” NASA said.
The rocket took off in windy conditions from Russia’s space base in Kazakhstan Friday and was decorated with a portrait of the first man in space, Soviet hero Yuri Gagarin, whose pioneering orbital flight was made nearly 55 years ago, on April 12, 1961.
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3 new crew, including US grandpa, join space station – #JHedzWorlD
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