NASA Astronaut, Crewmates Arrive Safely at Space Station
- NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy, safely arrived at the International Space Station on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
- The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft carrying the trio docked to the Prichal module at 4:57 a.m. EDT after a three-hour, two-orbit journey from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
- Expedition 73 crew members will join the Expedition 72 crew, including NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Don Pettit, as well as JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonauts Kirill Peskov and Ivan Vagner.
- NASA’s live coverage of hatch opening will begin at 7 a.m. on April 8, and the ceremonial change of command will take place at 2:40 p.m. on April 18.
- Expedition 73 crew member Jonny Kim will conduct scientific research in various fields during his eight-month stay aboard the space station, marking his first flight to space.
NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, arrived at the International Space Station on Tuesday, bringing the number of residents to 10 for the next two weeks.
The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft carrying Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky docked to the Prichal module at 4:57 a.m. EDT, following a three-hour, two-orbit journey to the space station. They launched at 1:47 a.m. (10:47 a.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
When hatches open at approximately 7:20 a.m., the trio will join the Expedition 72 crew, including NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Don Pettit, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Kirill Peskov, Ivan Vagner, and Alexey Ovchinin.
NASA’s live coverage of hatch opening will begin at 7 a.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms.
Expedition 73 will begin on Saturday, April 19, following the departure of Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner, as they conclude a seven-month science mission aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Watch the ceremonial change of command at 2:40 p.m. on Friday, April 18, as Ovchinin transfers the distinction to Onishi, live on NASA+.
Throughout his eight-month stay aboard the orbital outpost, Kim will conduct scientific research in technology development, Earth science, biology, human research, and more. This is the first flight for Kim and Zubritsky, and the third for Ryzhikov.
Learn more about space station activities at:
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Joshua Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov