14 DAY TRIAL // The International Space Station is operating with a full crew again, as the three members of Expedition 36 are now safely aboard.
The three astronauts, Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos, ESA's Luca Parmitano, and NASA's Karen Nyberg arrived at their destination only five hours and 39 minutes after launch – the fastest trip to the ISS yet.
The Soyuz TMA-09M module uses the new "fast-track" trajectory which only needed four orbits around the world to reach the ISS' altitude.
The three new members of the crew will have one week to get accustomed to life in space, after which they'll start work.
ESA is especially proud to have one of its astronauts on board, as there have been no European astronauts for the last couple of expeditions.
Russia's Pavel Vinogradov, who came aboard several weeks ago, will be in charge of Expedition 36 as acting commander.