New Crew Enters Station and Joins Expedition 46

The Six-Member Expedition 46 Crew
The six-member expedition 46 crew gathers for a ceremony in the Zvezda service module as friends and family congratulate the new arrivals. From left are Flight Engineers Tim Kopra, Sergey Volkov, Yuri Malenchenko, Mikhail Kornienko and Tim Peake with Commander Scott Kelly. Credit: NASA TV

Tim Kopra of NASA, Tim Peake of ESA (European Space Agency), and Yuri Malenchenko of Roscosmos joined their Expedition 46 crewmates aboard the orbiting laboratory when the hatches between the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft and the International Space Station officially opened at 2:58 p.m. EST. Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Flight Engineers Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos welcomed the trio aboard their orbiting home.

The crew members will install equipment and conduct experiments to help NASA’s journey to Mars while making discoveries that can benefit all of humanity. Learn more about Expedition 46 crew members and their activities: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/np-2015-12-043-jsc-exp-46-summary.pdf

The incoming trio will spend about six-months aboard the station. Kelly and Kornienko are about nine months into their one-year mission, and are scheduled to return home in March 2016. These trips also enable the Roscomos to rotate a crew member and a Soyuz spacecraft. Each Soyuz remains in orbit about six months.

Follow the space station blog for crew activities at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation. To join the online conversation about the International Space Station, follow @Space_Station, and check out all the ways to connect with NASA at: https://www.nasa.gov/socialmedia.

18 thoughts on “New Crew Enters Station and Joins Expedition 46”

  1. Congratulations for launch and rendevous success.
    We are thankful for the nice impression.
    This is from Japan with new smile twice over.

  2. Tim good luck to you up in space on the iss we well look up to the sky watch the iss fly over England hop you look down on the plane

  3. Hi,
    I would love to know if you recognise the countries looking down from space and how far can you see country to country?

    I saw the fly over tonight and am really excited

    The very Best wishes

    1. The crew has a computer map that shows where the space station is orbiting over Earth. This gives them the opportunity to photograph natural and man-made geographical features.

      1. Thank you for responding to my question. I am assuming that they need to rely on the computer because of the speed they are travelling.

        It’s amazing that the camera can focus on features when they are travelling so fast.

        Thank you

        Best regards

  4. Yuri and Crew:
    We wish you all success in your mission and a safe journey home.

    Your Friends in Sugar Land Texas, USA

  5. TO: Tim Kopra (and the whole ISS Crew)
    FROM: Sean Gerrity (one of your cousins on the Witthoft side)

    Tim,

    Stay safe, and may God bless your and all of the crew members up there!. Happy New Year!

    Sean Gerrity

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