Last year, two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni williams, who were arrested at the space station, were given priority on a SpaceX flight, displacing Cardman and another astronaut. Wilmore and Williams, test pilots for Boeing’s Starliner, were originally slated for a week-long mission that ultimately extended to over nine months.
Fincke and Yui had been preparing for the next Starline mission. Though, due to a propeller issue with that spacecraft, which prevents it from flying until 2026, they were reassigned to a SpaceX mission.
Several years ago, Platonov was removed from the manifest for Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft due to an undisclosed medical condition.
The arrival of thes four individuals, who were greeted with refreshments and a hot meal, temporarily increased the space station’s population to eleven.
While the journey was considered swift by American standards, the Russian Soyuz spacecraft holds the record for the fastest travel time to the space station, completing the trip in just three hours.
