Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner welcomed NASA’s Crew-10 astronauts to the International Space Station with a playful alien mask during a live-streamed event on March 16, 2025.
In a lighthearted moment aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner greeted the Crew-10 astronauts with an unexpected twist. As the astronauts arrived via their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, Vagner donned an alien mask to welcome them, creating a memorable scene that was live-streamed for viewers.
The Crew-10 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 15, 2025, at 7:03 p.m. EDT. The spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS at 12:04 a.m. EDT on March 16, approximately 29 hours after liftoff.
As the ISS crew prepared the capsule for deboarding, Vagner was seen floating around in his alien attire, complete with a hoodie, pants, and socks. This playful gesture added a touch of humor to the serious nature of space missions, as noted by a NASA spokesperson.
Shortly after the hatches between the ISS and the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft were opened at 1:35 a.m. EDT, NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov entered the station. The moment was marked by the ringing of the ship’s bell, a traditional welcome for new arrivals.
“It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive,” said Suni Williams, a member of the Expedition 72 crew, during a communication with Mission Control.
Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore are set to guide the new arrivals through the operations of the ISS. Their mission, which was originally planned to last one week following the launch of Boeing’s first astronaut flight, has been extended due to complications that left them stranded in space after the Boeing Starliner was returned empty.
As the Crew-9 commander Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov prepare for their departure from the ISS, they are scheduled to splash down off the coast of Florida on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at approximately 4 a.m. EDT.
This playful encounter highlights the camaraderie and spirit of collaboration among astronauts from different space agencies, showcasing that even in the vastness of space, humor can bridge distances.
For more details on this event, refer to Fox News.