The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft carrying two Russians and an American successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, just over three hours after its launch.
Taking off from a Russian launch facility in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the capsule was atop a towering rocket and completed two Earth orbits before safely attaching to the space station. This speedy trip is notably faster compared to some missions that have taken days.
Upon docking, the crew aboard the ISS began performing a series of system checks to ensure everything is ready for the new arrivals.
The mission is led by commander Alexey Ovchinin, alongside fellow Russian Ivan Vagner and American astronaut Donald Pettit.
The launch proceeded without any obvious issues, with the Soyuz entering orbit just eight minutes after liftoff. This smooth start was a relief for Russian space authorities, especially after a recent automated safety system halted a March launch due to a voltage drop.
Once aboard, Pettit, Vagner, and Ovchinin joined NASA's Tracy Dyson, Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Jeanette Epps, Butch Wilmore, and Suni Williams, as well as Russian crew members Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko.
Wilmore and Williams have been aboard the ISS longer than planned, having arrived in June with Boeing's new Starliner capsule. Despite issues like thruster troubles and helium leaks, NASA determined it was too risky to return them via Starliner. Instead, they'll journey back to Earth with SpaceX next year.
International Crew Docks at ISS in Record Time! 
