SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts to dock at International Space Station today
Crew-5 will spend several months aboard the space station conducting new scientific research in areas, such as cardiovascular health, bioprinting, and fluid behavior in microgravity to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and to benefit life on Earth.
FollowThree astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut will dock with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday after a picture-perfect launch. The Crew-5 astronauts are on their way to meet the flying laboratory in orbit, which will require a series of complex manoeuvres to align the Dragon with the Space Station.
NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada serve as mission commander and pilot, respectively, for the Crew-5 mission, along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, who serve as mission specialists.
For the first time in more than two decades, a Russian spacecraft joined an American spacecraft in orbit. Anna Kikina, Russia’s lone female cosmonaut said, “We’re so glad to do it together," and offered thanks in both English and Russian. “Spasibo!”
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It is worth mentioning that Kikina is the Russian Space Agency’s exchange for NASA’s Frank Rubio, who launched to the space station two weeks ago from Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz rocket.
Over the summer, the space agencies decided to exchange seats on their missions in order to maintain a continual US and Russian presence onboard the 260-mile-high (420-kilometer-high) station. Even as global hostilities escalated in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February, the barter was approved. The next crew exchange will take place in the spring.
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Kakina is just the sixth Russian woman to launch into space. The Dragon Endurance spacecraft launched from Launch Complex 39A at Nasa's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a 29-hour voyage to mate with the Space Station, where Crew-4 awaits. Crew-5's arrival will kick off the preparations for the Crew-4 mission to depart and return home.
