The capsule carried three astronauts to the orbital lab

Jul 17, 2012 15:30 GMT  ·  By
Soyuz TMA-05M is seen here on final approach to the ISS earlier today, July 17, 2012
   Soyuz TMA-05M is seen here on final approach to the ISS earlier today, July 17, 2012

Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (RosCosmos), NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Aki Hoshide arrived safely aboard the International Space Station (ISS) today.

They spent the past two days aboard the Soyuz TMA-05 M spacecraft, which took off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan on July 15. They arrived at the orbital facility at 12:51 am EDT (0451 GMT) today, July 17.

The hatches separating the two spacecraft were opened at 3:23 am EDT (0751 GMT), after safety checks were performed. The trio aboard the Soyuz met the rest of the Expedition 32 crew, with whom they will spend the next four months.

Immediately upon arrival, “the six-member crew conducted a welcoming ceremony with family and mission officials then participated in a safety briefing,” NASA says in a press release.