The passing of the torch in low Earth orbit

Space · Published 19 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Watch the formal transition of leadership aboard the International Space Station as one crew concludes their mission and another begins theirs.

On November 24, Commander Doug Wheelock officially handed over command of the International Space Station to Commander Scott Kelly. This transition marks the conclusion of Expedition 25 and the start of Expedition 26.

Following the ceremony, the outgoing crew members—including Wheelock, Shannon Walker, and Fyodor Yurchikhin—prepared for their return to Earth. They are scheduled to land on the Kazakhstan steppe on November 25 using a Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft.

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