The International Space Station is about to get three new residents. Earlier this morning, the trio of space travelers launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft and, after a handful of hours speeding toward their destination, they’re about to arrive at the ISS.
As is often the case, NASA will be providing a live stream of the docking operation. The stream is scheduled to begin at around 3 p.m. EDT, with the actual docking taking place at approximately 3:45 p.m. You’ll be able to watch the entire thing via the NASA TV live stream in the YouTube window embedded below.
The new arrivals that will become part of the ISS crew include NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, Oleg Skripochka of Russia’s Roscosmos, and Hazzaa Al Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates. Al Mansoori will become the first Arab astronaut to visit the space station.
Both Meir and Skripochka will participate in Expedition 61, the next wave of experiments and projects happening on the space station over the next several months. Al Mansoori will return to Earth after spending eight days aboard the ISS.
The fact that these trips to and from the International Space Station seem so routine is a credit to NASA, Roscosmos, and the ESA. Still, there’s really nothing “easy” about sending humans into space, and doing so safely. The docking procedure should be pretty exciting, and NASA’s live streams are typically top-notch, so it’ll be worth tuning into.
A couple of hours after the docking procedure is completed, the hatch will be opened and the current ISS crew will greet the newcomers. NASA TV will also be live streaming that little event, and it’ll be available on the same live stream window.
