New Leadership Takes Charge on ISS: A Notable Handover Event

International Space Station orbiting above Earth.

The International Space Station is about to witness a notable leadership transition from Roscosmos’s Oleg Kononenko to NASA’s Suni Williams.

At a Glance

ISS leadership will shift from Oleg Kononenko to Suni Williams on Sept. 22.
NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson and Roscosmos cosmonauts will return to Earth aboard Soyuz MS-25 on Sept. 23.
The change of command ceremony will stream on NASA platforms at 10:15 a.m. on Sept. 22.
Dyson’s mission included 184 days in space, 2,944 Earth orbits, covering 78 million miles.

Significant Leadership Transition

On September 22 at 10 a.m. ET, Roscosmos’s Oleg Kononenko will formally hand over command of the International Space Station (ISS) to NASA’s Suni Williams. This transition emphasizes the long-standing collaboration between the U.S. and Russian space programs, showcasing years of successful international cooperation. The change aims to ensure continued efficiency in ISS operations, highlighting the station’s role as a testament to global unity in space exploration.

Kononenko’s handover marks the conclusion of his impressive tenure aboard the ISS, culminating in an unprecedented 1,111 days in orbit over five missions. His transition will usher in NASA astronaut Suni Williams’s second term as ISS commander, having previously led Expedition 33 in 2012. Williams expressed her enthusiasm for the extended stay, calling the station her “happy place.”

Live now on @NASA+, watch @Astro_Suni Williams accept station command from Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko. https://t.co/K7VLzMAHLa

— International Space Station (@Space_Station) September 22, 2024

Returning to Earth

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko, will depart the ISS aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft on September 23. The undocking from the Prichal module is scheduled for 4:37 a.m. EDT, with a parachute-assisted landing expected at 8 a.m. (5 p.m. Kazakhstan time) in Kazakhstan.

According to a press release by NASA, “NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko, will depart from the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft, and return to Earth. NASA’s live coverage of return and related activities will stream on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. A change of command ceremony also will stream on NASA platforms at 10:15 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 22. Kononenko will hand over station command to NASA astronaut Suni Williams for Expedition 72, which begins at the time of undocking.”

After their safe landing, Dyson will return to Houston, while Kononenko and Chub will head to Star City, Russia. Dyson’s completed mission spanned 184 days, during which the crew experienced 2,944 orbits of Earth, covering a distance of 78 million miles.

#LIVE: A change of command ceremony takes place on the International Space Station when Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko will hand over station command to NASA astronaut Sunita Williams. https://t.co/ytdYuGp1iZ

— Firstpost (@firstpost) September 22, 2024

Future Missions and Ongoing Cooperation

The continuous operation of the ISS for over two decades underscores its pivotal role in advancing scientific knowledge and research. NASA’s focus remains locked on deep space missions to the Moon and Mars, part of its ambitious Artemis program. In keeping with this vision, NASA’s Artemis II crew recently trained in Iceland, utilizing the unique terrain to simulate lunar conditions.

The return of the Soyuz MS-25 crew and the incoming leadership underscore the ISS’s continued vital role in space exploration. As NASA and Roscosmos work together, the transition to Williams’s leadership symbolizes not just a handing over of command, but also a reaffirmation of the robust international partnerships that keep humanity reaching for the stars.