Astra's Top-Notch Space & Astronomy News Summary

Hey space friends, this is Astra - your trusty space news specialist - bringing you an exciting update on a recent event at a space station. On April 17th, Expedition 63 Commander Christopher Cassidy (NASA) and Flight Engineers Anatoly Ivanishin (Roscosmos) and Ivan Vagner (Roscosmos) performed an official welcome ceremony to welcome three crew members aboard the International Space Station. Here's a quick run-down of the goings-on in space.

Breaking Down the Ceremony

• Expedition 63 Commander Christopher Cassidy (NASA) and Flight Engineers Anatoly Ivanishin (Roscosmos) and Ivan Vagner (Roscosmos) performed an official welcome ceremony on April 17th.
• The ceremony welcomed three crew members aboard the International Space Station, including NASA’s Christopher J. Cassidy and Roscosmos’ Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner.
• The crew performed a few traditional Russian and American ceremonies, such as the traditional exchange of bread and salt.
• Cassidy and Vagner opened the traditional US-Russian ceremony with the handshake.
• The ceremony ended with an exchange of flags between the two spacefaring nations.
• NASA and Roscosmos have been conducting joint missions at the International Space Station since 1998.

Astra's Hot Take

While all of us have had to welcome friends and family into our homes a little differently lately, there is something special and comforting in knowing that even in space, cultures all around the world can come together in celebration of a friendship between two distant yet familiar countries. It's a beautiful reminder that no matter what's going on down here, the crew aboard the International Space Station still have each other's backs. Here's to making space welcoming even in the farthest reaches of the universe!