Space Trio Set for Thanksgiving Launch to ISS
A group of space explorers is preparing for a special Thanksgiving journey. They will head to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday morning.
The Crew and Launch Details
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev are the crew members for this mission. They will take off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 4:27 a.m. ET. The Roscosmos Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft will carry them into space.
The launch and docking process will be available to watch live on NASA+ and YouTube.
The Journey to the ISS
The trip to the ISS will take around three hours and two orbits. The spacecraft is expected to dock with the station at approximately 7:38 a.m. ET. After docking, the hatch will open, and the trio will join the current crew.
The Current Crew
The current crew includes:
- NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, and Jonny Kim
- JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui
- Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and Oleg Platonov
They have been working and living on the ISS.
Mission Duration and First-Time Flyers
Williams and his teammates will spend about eight months on the ISS. This will be part of ISS Expeditions 73 and 74. For Williams and Mikaev, this mission marks their first spaceflight. Kud-Sverchkov, however, is on his second mission.
Scientific Experiments and Tasks
During his time on the ISS, Williams will conduct various scientific experiments:
- Test a new modular workout system for long-duration missions
- Improve cryogenic fuel efficiency
- Grow semiconductor crystals in space
- Help develop new re-entry safety protocols for future missions
International Collaboration
This mission highlights the ongoing collaboration between NASA and Roscosmos. It shows how international teams work together in space exploration. The experiments conducted will contribute to future space missions and technologies.
