NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Roscosmos cosmonauts have safely arrived at the International Space Station, bringing the crew to 10 for the next two weeks.
Williams, along with Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, launched aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft at 8:27 p.m. AEDT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After a three-hour, two-orbit ascent, Soyuz docked with the station’s Rassvet module at 11:34 p.m. AEDT.
Hatch opening is expected at approximately 2:10 a.m. AEDT, when the trio will be greeted by the Expedition 73 crew: NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman and Jonny Kim; JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui; and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky and Oleg Platonov.
During his mission aboard the ISS, Williams will support a broad suite of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations intended to advance long-duration human exploration capabilities and deliver benefits back on Earth. His tasks will include installing and testing a new modular exercise system designed for future deep-space missions, assisting experiments to improve the handling of cryogenic propellants, supporting semiconductor-crystal growth research in microgravity, and contributing to new re-entry safety-protocol development for future spacecraft.
Expedition 74 is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, 9 December AEDT, following the departure of Kim, Ryzhikov and Zubritsky, who will return to Earth after completing an eight-month science mission on the orbiting laboratory.
Image: The Soyuz rocket launches to the International Space Station with Expedition 74 crew members: NASA astronaut Chris Williams, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
