A SpaceX crew capsule successfully reached the International Space Station on Sunday, carrying replacements for NASA’s two stranded astronauts. The four new crew members from the U.S., Japan, and Russia will spend the next few days familiarizing themselves with the station under the guidance of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Wilmore and Williams, who have been on an extended mission since last June, will return to Earth in the coming days using a SpaceX capsule that has been docked at the station since last year.
The arrival of the new crew members was a joyous occasion, with hugs and handshakes exchanged as they floated into the space station. The original plan for Wilmore and Williams was a one-week mission on Boeing’s first astronaut flight, but delays and technical issues forced an unexpected extension.
The return journey for Wilmore, Williams, and the other astronauts is scheduled for mid-March, pending favorable weather conditions. Until then, there will be a total of 11 crew members on the space station, representing the U.S., Russia, and Japan.
