NASA astronaut arrives at International Space Station aboard Russian spacecraft

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut Jonny Kim safely arrived connected a Russian spacecraft astatine the International Space Station (ISS) connected Tuesday, hours aft taking disconnected from Kazakhstan. 

The Roscosmos Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft docked to the International Space Station’s Prichal module astatine astir 4:57 a.m. ET Tuesday. Kim, who was joined by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, waited for astir different hr and a fractional successful bid for the equalization of unit successful the vestibule – the tiny passageway betwixt the docking interfaces – to decorativeness and for the due leak checks to beryllium completed. 

Livestream footage showed cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, the station's commander, preparing the hatch for opening. Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, who launched to the ISS past period connected the SpaceX Endurance, is besides seen maneuvering about. 

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NASA astronaut Jonny Kim is seen entering the International Space Station. (NASA)

NASA said the hatch betwixt the International Space Station and the Russian spacecraft opened astatine 7:28 a.m. ET.

Video showed Kim, Ryzhikov and Zubritsky entering the ISS to the cheers and embraces of Ovchinin and the remainder of the Expedition 72 unit onboard. 

Kim, Ryzhikov and Zubritsky had launched astatine 1:47 a.m. ET from the Baikonur Cosmodrome successful Kazakhstan. 

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The NASA broadcast said the "smooth motorboat and uneventful rendezvous and docking" for the Soyuz MS-27 sets the signifier for an 11-day handover betwixt the recently arrived trio and the unit that volition beryllium departing successful the MS-26 spacecraft connected April 19. 

Those expected to permission are Ovchinin, NASA astronaut Don Pettit, and cosmonaut Ivan Vagner – each of whom person been aboard the presumption since September. The NASA broadcast said Pettit volition onshore backmost successful Kazakhstan connected his 70th day – April 20.

The newly-expanded Expedition 72 unit gathers for a ceremonial welcoming (front row, from left) NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskoy. (NASA)

Kim volition present statesman an eight-month probe ngo aboard the ISS. 

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The palmy ngo comes a time earlier President Donald Trump's prime for NASA administrator, Jared Isaacman, is expected to look his confirmation proceeding connected Wednesday astatine 10 a.m. earlier the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. 

NASA spokeswoman Bethany Stevens past period credited Trump's involution successful securing the instrumentality of 2 astronauts – Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Suni Williams – stranded for much than 9 months connected the ISS.