NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts arrived at the International Space Station early Wednesday after a three-hour flight aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft. The vehicle lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 8:17 pm IST on Tuesday and docked at the Prichal module around 11:52 pm IST. The crew completed initial checks before opening the hatch near 2:00 am IST. This marks the NASA astronaut’s first spaceflight. The mission is expected to last about eight months, with return planned for April 2027. The astronaut will perform scientific research and technology tests to support future human space exploration. The crew joined other station residents from NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos. Family members observed the launch from the cosmodrome. The flight also carried drawings by Indian schoolchildren selected in a competition marking Gagarin’s anniversary and Russia-India space cooperation. The astronaut, born in Minneapolis to Indian and Ukrainian parents, previously served as a flight surgeon and worked on medical programs for commercial spaceflight before joining NASA in 2021.
