Lead: On Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 27, 2025, a Soyuz will lift three crew members from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The crew—NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev—are scheduled to reach the orbiting lab about three hours after launch, with a planned docking to the Rassvet module near 7:38 a.m. EST (1238 GMT). Hatches are expected to open around 10:10 a.m. EST (1510 GMT), and NASA will begin live coverage at 6:45 a.m. EST (1145 GMT). The trio will join Expedition 73/74 for an approximately eight-month mission.
Key Takeaways
- The launch is planned for Nov. 27, 2025, from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard Soyuz MS-28.
- Crew: NASA astronaut Chris Williams (first flight), Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov (returning; onboard Oct 2020–Apr 2021) and Sergey Mikaev (first flight).
- Docking with the ISS Rassvet module is expected ~7:38 a.m. EST (1238 GMT), with hatches opening ~10:10 a.m. EST (1510 GMT).
- NASA will stream mission milestones, starting at 6:45 a.m. EST (1145 GMT); station welcome events begin around 9:50 a.m. EST (1450 GMT).
- The crew will serve roughly eight months on Expeditions 73 and 74, conducting research and technology demonstrations.
- Williams’ research plan includes testing a modular exercise system, experiments on cryogenic fuel behavior, semiconductor crystal growth, and new re-entry safety protocol work.
- The launch follows China’s Nov. 24 uncrewed Shenzhou flight, which was sent to return three Tiangong crewmembers after a temporary lifeboat gap.
Background
The Soyuz MS-28 mission continues the long-running pattern of crew rotations that sustain continuous human presence aboard the ISS since 2000. Baikonur has been a primary Russian launch site for decades; Soyuz remains a workhorse vehicle for ferrying crews to low Earth orbit. Crew composition mixes spaceflight veterans and first-time flyers to balance operational experience and new scientific capacity.
Chris Williams will make his first trip to orbit on this flight. By contrast, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov previously lived aboard the ISS from October 2020 to April 2021, bringing recent station experience to the crew. The partnership between NASA and Roscosmos for Soyuz crewed flights persists alongside other crewed-transport options, shaping logistics and contingency planning for the station.
Main Event
In the hours before liftoff, ground teams raised the Soyuz rocket service structure at Baikonur, completing final prelaunch preparations. If the countdown proceeds normally on Nov. 27, the Soyuz spacecraft will insert into orbit and perform a fast rendezvous profile, arriving at the Rassvet module about three hours after launch. That approach minimizes crew time in transit and follows an established docking sequence for Soyuz missions.
NASA’s live coverage will follow key mission milestones: prelaunch checks, launch, docking at approximately 7:38 a.m. EST (1238 GMT), and hatch opening around 10:10 a.m. EST (1510 GMT). A public welcome ceremony is planned to begin roughly at 9:50 a.m. EST (1450 GMT), giving viewers a staged arrival sequence from orbit to crew entry.
Mission objectives for the visiting crew emphasize both station maintenance and scientific return. Williams is slated to help install and test a modular exercise system aimed at improving fitness support on long-duration flights, support cryogenic-fuel efficiency experiments, and grow semiconductor crystals in microgravity. The crew will also contribute to research on re-entry safety protocols intended to inform future spacecraft designs.
Analysis & Implications
Operationally, the flight underscores the continued reliance on international partnerships to keep the ISS staffed and productive. With Roscosmos providing the Soyuz vehicle and NASA providing personnel and research priorities, the mission blends technical cooperation with scientific aims. That interplay matters for long-term planning as commercial crew vehicles expand capacity and as nations consider future low-Earth-orbit platforms.
Scientifically, the experiments planned by Williams and colleagues target technology readiness and fundamental materials science. Modular exercise systems may reduce mass and complexity for future deep-space missions, while cryogenic fuel-efficiency tests could influence in-space refueling concepts. Semiconductor crystal growth in microgravity can yield materials with fewer defects, potentially benefiting electronics and optics manufacturing on Earth.
Politically, the launch comes at a time of active human spaceflight from multiple states: the Nov. 24 Chinese uncrewed Shenzhou flight highlights overlapping mission schedules and the operational need for assured crew return options. Any disruption to one partner’s vehicle affects crew rotations and contingency planning across the fleet, reinforcing the strategic value of redundant transport capabilities.
Comparison & Data
| Crew Member | Flight Status | Previous ISS Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Williams | First flight | — |
| Sergey Kud-Sverchkov | Veteran | Oct 2020 – Apr 2021 |
| Sergey Mikaev | First flight | — |
The table highlights that two crew members are first-time flyers while one brings recent station experience. The mission duration—about eight months—aligns with typical ISS expedition rotations that balance experiment timelines with human factors considerations.
Reactions & Quotes
“During his stay aboard station, Williams will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human space exploration and benefiting life on Earth.”
NASA (official statement)
NASA also outlined the mission timeline and public coverage schedule, noting live streaming will begin at 6:45 a.m. EST on launch day.
NASA (public affairs)
Those statements frame the mission as both an operational crew rotation and a research opportunity. Agency briefings emphasize experiment goals and public access to mission milestones through live coverage.
Unconfirmed
- Precise launch window details beyond the publicly posted schedule remain subject to change pending final weather and technical checks.
- Full diagnostic details and the root cause of the earlier Shenzhou spacecraft damage reported in other coverage have not been publicly confirmed by all involved agencies.
- The ultimate operational performance and scientific results from Williams’ experiments will only be known after on-orbit testing and post-mission analysis.
Bottom Line
The Soyuz MS-28 mission on Nov. 27, 2025, is a routine-seeming but strategically important crew rotation that blends station upkeep with experiments targeting long-duration exploration needs. With two first-time fliers and one experienced cosmonaut, the crew composition supports both hands-on operations and fresh research capacity.
Watch the live coverage beginning at 6:45 a.m. EST for launch and docking milestones; the mission’s outcomes—particularly for exercise hardware, cryogenics, and materials growth—could influence future spacecraft design and mission planning. International scheduling pressures, illustrated by near-simultaneous Chinese activity, reinforce the need for resilient and flexible crew-transport options.