New Crew Arrives at Space Station on Russian TMA-22 Spaceship

Top row (from left to right): Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, NASA astronaut Mike Fossum and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov. 

Bottom row (from left to right): Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, and Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin.
CREDIT: NASA TV

A spacecraft carrying the three newest residents of the International Space Station safely arrived at the orbiting outpost today (Nov. 16), after a two-day space journey.

NASA astronaut Dan Burbank and Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin reached the space station early Wednesday, slightly ahead of schedule at 12:24 a.m. EST (0524 GMT).

The trio parked their Russian-built Soyuz TMA-22 capsule at the Poisk mini research module on the station's Russian segment, as both spacecraft flew 248 miles (400 kilometers) above the South Pacific.

The crew conducted an extensive set of leak checks before they opened the hatch of their capsule and floated into the station.

The hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 2:39 a.m. EST (0839 GMT), according to NASA officials. The two crews greeted each other with laughter, hugs, and warm welcomes.