Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner welcomed NASA’s Crew-10 astronauts to the International Space Station with a humorous twist, donning an alien mask during their arrival on March 16, 2025.
In a lighthearted moment aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner greeted the Crew-10 astronauts with a playful twist as they arrived on March 16, 2025. The event was live-streamed, showcasing the camaraderie and humor that exists among astronauts in space.
As the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked with the ISS at 12:04 a.m. EDT, approximately 29 hours after its launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Vagner donned an alien mask to welcome the four new arrivals. This whimsical gesture was described as a “lighthearted moment” by a NASA spokesperson.
The Crew-10 team included NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. After the hatches between the spacecraft and the ISS were opened at 1:35 a.m. EDT, the newcomers entered the station, greeted by their fellow crew members.
Following the hatch opening, Suni Williams rang the ship’s bell, signaling the arrival of the new crew. They floated in to a warm welcome, exchanging handshakes and hugs with the Expedition 72 crew, all while Vagner’s playful antics continued to add to the joyous atmosphere. “It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive,” Williams remarked to Mission Control.
Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore are tasked with showing the new arrivals the ropes of the ISS. Their mission was initially scheduled to last just one week following the launch of Boeing’s first astronaut flight. However, complications had previously forced NASA to bring the Boeing Starliner back to Earth without a crew, leaving some astronauts in space longer than anticipated.
As the Crew-10 astronauts settle in, Crew-9 commander Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are preparing for their departure from the ISS. They are scheduled to leave the station on Wednesday, with a splashdown expected off Florida’s coast as early as 4 a.m. EDT.
This unique blend of humor and teamwork highlights the spirit of cooperation and resilience among astronauts, even in the challenging environment of space.
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