Save the date! NASA introduces Expedition 52 crew members; to make their ISS journey on July 28

Expedition 52 flight engineers Paolo Nespoli of ESA (left), Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos, and Randy Bresnik of NASA. (Image courtesy: NASA/ Bill Ingalls)

New Delhi: It's time! Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are getting ready to welcome the newest addition to their family up in space.

NASA has announced the launch of Expedition 52, all geared up to take the reigns of the ISS, launching on July 28.

The three new ISS crew members include NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos and Paolo Nespoli of ESA (European Space Agency).

They will be joining Expedition 50/51's record-breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson – whose stay at the orbiting laboratory was extended by three months, taking her into Expedition 52 – NASA astronaut Jack Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos.

The American space agency will of course be covering the launch live, which is slated to begin at 11:41 am (9:41 pm Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Expedition 52 crew members will spend more than four months together aboard the orbital complex before returning to Earth in December. Video of prelaunch activities from the crew’s activities in Baikonur will air July 24-27 on NASA TV.

As per NASA's schedule, after launching, the trio will travel for six hours in the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft before docking to the space station’s Rassvet module at 6 p.m. NASA TV coverage of the docking will begin at 5:15 pm

Hatches between the Soyuz and station will open at approximately 7:40 pm The arriving crew will be welcomed onboard by Expedition 52 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer of NASA. Coverage of hatch opening and welcoming ceremonies will begin at 7:00 pm

The soon-to-be six crew members of Expedition 52 will continue work on hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard the International Space Station.