The precise moment a spacecraft becomes a home in orbit

Space · Published 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Watch the high-stakes transition from independent vessel to integrated laboratory as new crew members enter the International Space Station.

These videos capture the critical 'hatch opening' procedure, where astronauts and cosmonauts officially join the orbiting community. On April 4, Expedition 23 was completed when Tracy Caldwell Dyson, Alexander Skvortsov, and Mikhail Kornienko entered the station from their Soyuz spacecraft.

The process involves docking at modules like Rassvet before the physical seal is broken to expand the crew. For example, during Expedition 73, a three-person team including Chris Williams arrived from Kazakhstan to spend approximately eight months in orbit, eventually returning in summer 2026.

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