NASA Astronaut Pettit Joins ISS Crew

NASA astronaut Don Pettit, along with Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft after a swift three-hour journey from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. This marks Pettit's fourth mission to the ISS, where he will join a crew of 12 for a 13-day handover period and subsequently spend six months conducting scientific research. The arrival of Pettit and his crewmates transitions the station from Expedition 71 to Expedition 72, which officially begins on September 23. Pettit, who has a knack for innovative problem-solving in space, looks forward to continuing his work, which includes experimenting with combustion and conducting physical science experiments. Additionally, he is known for his striking photography from orbit and aims to share unique views of Earth during his mission. The crew will return to Earth in the spring of 2025, following the arrival of new crews, including NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 and Crew-10.