Docking to the International Space Station

Soyuz TMA-16M Sweet Bird

Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft which docked to the International Space Station at 9:33 p.m. EDT March 27, 2015.  NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Gennady Padalka arrived just six hours after launching from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, completing four orbits around the Earth before catching up with the orbiting laboratory.

Flight Engineer Scott Kelly

Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko

Space station crews, also known as Expeditions, typically stay in space for about 5-1/2 months.


However, two crew members, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly Flight Engineer and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, are living and working in space for one year (brave souls for humanity on science) until March 2016.  These men road up with Exp Team 43 and are landing with Exp Team 46.  The longest stay so far was accomplished by Expedition Team 14 a total of 213 days.

The vehicle docked to the Poisk module (also known as the Mini-Research Module 2) on the space-facing side of the Russian Service Module.  The spinning object in view is an antenna that is part of the automatic rendezvous and docking system known as KURS.  I think the red blinking light is the camera?

This is the greatest docking footage we have ever witnessed, you will notice some flashing light in the film, this is the thrusters to slow down Soyuz as it approaches the Station.  Also, some of the spent propellants will be in view as it streaks by the Station as space debris which is just incredible, we have never seen this before.  So at time stamp 9:38 to 9:48 you will see this happen, once again truly amazing.

You know I'm going to be very blunt, with men like Kelly and Mikhail riding high above all of us, you world leaders need to grow a pair and pitch in on getting us on a True North Course for humanity instead of being homogenized by money, ya winky. 

rightwiththeship

One Year Crew   

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