The astronauts arrived at the Space Station on a six-hour express flight

A Soyuz capsule with a three-member international team of astronauts successfully connected with the International Space Station today, after an "express" flight of less than six hours.

Three astronauts - Russian Fedor Yurshikin, Italian Luca Parmitano and American Karen Nyberg took off last night at 22.31:09 Central European time from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome in the steppes of Kazakhstan, in the Soyuz TMA-XNUMXM aircraft.

The Soyuz docked with the International Space Station this morning at 4.10:XNUMX a.m. after flying for less than six hours, while the previous flight lasted two days, the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) announced.

The huge gain in time is possible due to technological improvements thanks to which the Soyuz capsule can make only four orbits around the Earth instead of the previously required 34.

International Space Page (Photo: asc-csa.gc.ca)

This is the second "express" flight to transport astronauts to the International Space Station, the previous one was successfully carried out in March.

The Soyuz traveled at a speed of about 7.500 kilometers per hour, reported the American space agency NASA. After docking, it took two hours before the pressure equalized between the capsule and the station, when the astronauts could safely enter inside.

The three new astronauts, who will spend six months there, were welcomed by a three-member team, one American and two Russians, who have been on the International Station since the end of March.

American Karen Nyberg said upon arrival that the trip was "cool," according to pictures posted online by NASA. The three new astronauts will take several "walks" in space during their six-month stay.

It is expected that at least the two of them, an American and an Italian, will continue the active participation in social networks started by their predecessor Chris Hadfield.

Hadfield has been posting regularly and frequently on his Twitter account since the start of his mission on December 19 last year, posting spectacular pictures and videos from the Station as well as footage of life inside.

Today, 997.000 people follow him on Twitter. Russia is now the only country that can carry astronauts to the International Space Station since the last US space shuttle was retired in the summer of 2011.

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