It’s a special Thanksgiving in space this year. Three new crew members, NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev, are on their way to the International Space Station (ISS), carrying not just supplies but also a sense of celebration.
The trio launched early Thursday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft. Their journey will take just a few hours, and if all goes to plan, they’ll dock with the ISS by evening (IST). Waiting for them aboard the station is a diverse international crew deep into their research schedule, but also ready to welcome new faces.
This arrival is especially meaningful because it comes on Thanksgiving Day. Astronauts aboard the ISS have already spoken about the small but heartfelt meal they’ve prepared, including traditional favourites adapted for microgravity. The new crew is expected to join right in, sharing stories, adjusting to weightlessness, and settling into life 400 km above Earth.
Beyond the celebrations, the expanded team will help boost scientific work on human health, materials research and space-based technology. But for today, the focus is simple: a safe docking, warm handshakes, and a rare holiday moment shared far from home.
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