European Space Agency astronaut Tom Peske handed over command of the International Space Station (ISS) to Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, according to the Roscosmos website .
The process of transferring a shift to the ISS involves a ceremony of signing the necessary document by two commanders. Peske, who has been in charge of the station since October 4, 2021, and Shkaplerov signed a corresponding act of transfer of authority. It is assumed that the Russian became the head of the international crew before his return to Earth, scheduled for the spring of 2022.
"The end of the ceremony was traditionally accompanied by the striking of the ship's bell," the corporation's statement emphasizes.
The ceremony was held in connection with the return of the Sand to Earth. American astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan MacArthur, as well as Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, will leave the station with him.
According to preliminary information from the US Space Agency NASA, the Crew Dragon spacecraft will be undocked on November 7, 2021. After that, and until the arrival of the new crew on the ISS, Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov, Peter Dubrov and American astronaut Mark Vande Hai will continue to work.
Earlier, cosmonauts Shkaplerov and Dubrov congratulated the Russians on National Unity Day. They wished their compatriots to preserve the sense of national unity, as well as to protect their loved ones.
Marina Sovina
