International Space Station Welcomes New Crew Members

On November 24, 2025, the International Space Station welcomed three new crew members aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, which docked to the Rassvet module. The new crew includes NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, who will be spending the next eight months in low Earth orbit.

Flight engineer Kimiya Yui from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency shared on social media how lively the station felt with ten crew members present during this handover period. The ISS was lit up by the stunning Aurora Australis, or southern lights, visible from the station's vantage point.

The Expedition 73 crew, which includes commander Sergey Ryzhikov and flight engineers Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, and Jonny Kim, conducted various scientific experiments during the week. One significant research project, called Ultrasound 2, was carried out by Zena Cardman who used a portable ultrasound device to scan Jonny Kim's chest.

This research aims to understand how the human heart adapts to living in space. Another experiment involved Mike Fincke using a fluorescence microscope to sample materials to improve optical technologies and pollution remediation methods.

In preparation for Soyuz MS-28's arrival, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo ship, the S.S. William C. "Willie" McCool, was temporarily unberthed and manipulated by the Canadarm2 robotic arm to clear docking space.

As of November 28, 2025, the ISS was home to ten crew members, including four astronauts from NASA, three cosmonauts from Roscosmos, and one astronaut from JAXA. The station has seen continuous human habitation for 25 years and 26 days, showcasing ongoing international cooperation in space exploration.

The ISS remains a hub for scientific research, with multiple spacecraft docked, including SpaceX's Dragon "Endeavour" and several Progress and Cygnus cargo spacecraft, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and technology in the pursuit of understanding our universe.