00:00 Ring retraction proceeding as expected, getting views from one of the cameras on the Japanese exposed facility on the forward end of the space station,
00:10 seeing the starboard side of the Dragon.
00:14 As we continue to monitor the progress of this ring retraction, now getting some sun illuminating the nadir or earth-facing side,
00:28 and now the whole thing of Dragon freedom.
00:31 Sun is rising over the South Pacific Ocean as Dragon and International Space Station continue to fly on a southeastern trajectory.
00:57 Coming together first through the hatches, Marcus Wundt and Alper Ghiserauchi of Sweden and Turkey, respectively,
01:08 being greeted by the crew of Expedition 70.
01:11 The two are followed by Walter Villeday, pilot of the Dragon Freedom,
01:17 last coming into the International Space Station, Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria.
01:24 Eleven crew members representing seven nations now on board the International Space Station.
01:47 On behalf of the Expedition 70 crew, I'd like to welcome Axiom 3 on board the International Space Station.
01:56 This is an incredibly exciting time for human spaceflight with the third private mission,
02:03 which is allowing many more countries to participate in the scientific research and technology development that we do on board this orbiting laboratory.
02:15 We have doubled the number of nationalities on board the space station, going from four to eight,
02:24 which I think is a great testament to the international collaboration which underpins this marvelous space station.
02:34 I'm also very proud as a European to welcome four other Europeans.
02:39 I think this is the first time in the history of the space station that we have five Europeans on board at the same time.
02:46 And certainly it's the first time that we have two Scandinavians on board.
02:52 So I'm very happy to welcome my fellow Scandinavian, Marcus.
02:57 But we look forward to the next two weeks to an intense period of work on board the space station.
03:04 So a big warm welcome to Axiom 3 from us on board the space station.
03:10 Thanks, Andy. I think you said it very well.
03:15 This is really a symbol of how Axiom, in conjunction with NASA and all the partners, is working to expand human access to low Earth orbit.
03:25 And we've got, as Andy said, so many nationalities represented on board.
03:30 And this is really symbolic of what we're trying to do to open it up not only to other nations,
03:35 also to individuals, to researchers, to continue the great work that's been going on on board the ISS for the last two decades plus.
03:44 The ride uphill was pretty exciting. It never gets old.
03:49 I think we probably spent a few more hours in Dragon than we felt like we needed to.
03:53 But it was all good. Great vehicle.
03:57 Thanks to you at SpaceX for putting that thing together for us and for such smooth operation.
04:03 Let me pass the microphone down to my crewmates just for a couple of words,
04:06 and then I'd like to get it back at the very end if that's OK. Walter?
04:11 Thank you, Mike. I want to first of all thank the expedition crew for this warm welcoming.
04:17 It's amazing to be up here and to see how much really all the countries
04:22 and this amazing international collaboration has made in space, creating this outpost.
04:28 And I'm very grateful for Italy and just a few words in Italian.
04:33 So thank you.
04:34 Grazie. Grazie a tutta l'Italia.
04:37 Vorrei ringraziare non solo l'Aeronautica Militare,
04:39 ma anche tutte le istituzioni che hanno portato qui questa missione,
04:42 in questo straordinario contesto di collaborazione internazionale in cui abbiamo portato Scienza.
04:47 Per due settimane saremo qui a collaborare e lavorare con questo equipaggio internazionale straordinario.
04:53 Grazie mille.
04:54 And now I hand over to my colleagues and friend, Alper from Turkey.
05:00 Thanks so much.
05:02 I would like to thank first for your kind hospitality to Expedition 7 crew over here.
05:10 They were waiting for us at the door, actually.
05:13 So that was a very nice, kind welcoming for us.
05:17 I would like to thank everybody for their great effort for us to be able to make it over here
05:24 in the last eight months training period, as well as all the counterparts for their contribution
05:30 for our safe travel to make it over to ISS.
05:34 We are happy as Turkey to step for the first time in our history
05:40 and looking forward to contribute into the science and research efforts over here.
05:47 And I would like to say a couple words to my country.
05:51 (Speaking Turkish)
06:11 Now I would like to pass over the microphone to my dear friend, Marcus Wand from Sweden,
06:17 representing here, ESA.
06:19 Thank you, Alper.
06:21 I also want to say first a big thank you to Expedition 70 for greeting us
06:26 and knocking on our door in the middle of everything.
06:29 That was pretty amazing, been flying around orbiting Earth for 36 hours or so
06:35 and then someone knocks on the door.
06:37 That's pretty strange.
06:39 And also I want to say that having this many nationalities on a mission like this,
06:45 it just tells me that collaboration can take you very far.
06:50 Entering the hatch here and meeting other people in space from so many different cultures
06:55 and places around the world just gives me a strong sense of future, which is awesome.
07:02 I also want to say a few words in Swedish to Sweden.
07:06 (Speaking Swedish)
07:14 (Speaking Swedish)
07:42 (Speaking Swedish)
07:46 All right, thank you. Mike.
07:50 So now I'd like to continue a bit of a tradition that we started,
07:54 and that is to award the Universal Astronaut Symbol pin, if I don't lose it,
08:00 to each of these steely-eyed aviators.
08:04 I think it's telling that these will be the seventh, eighth, and ninth people
08:09 that Axiom has provided pins.
08:11 In fact, since we started flying in 2022, no agency has pinned more new astronauts.
08:17 And again, this is symbolic of us trying to open up the access to low-Earth orbit
08:22 to more and more people.
08:24 So first of all, Colonel Walter de Villade, it is my pleasure to--
08:28 No, no, I'm going to put it on you.
08:31 You'll be number 609.
08:34 Wow, that's a privilege, Mike. Thank you so much.
08:37 Let me see if I can stabilize myself without missing.
08:48 If you guys can slide down and have these guys slide here. Thank you.
08:57 This is a real pleasure to award this pin to the first Turkish astronaut in history.
09:03 I don't think I need to say anything more.
09:10 Can you hold the microphone?
09:23 I think it's broken.
09:34 There we go.
09:37 And finally, Marcus. Thank you, Andy.
09:57 Thank you, Mike.
09:59 I failed to mention Alper obviously is number 610 and Marcus is 611.
10:05 And finally, I want to thank all of you guys again for welcoming us aboard.
10:09 I know that it's tough to have guests in your house
10:12 and we promise not to spill any red wine on your white carpet.
10:15 Thank you, Andy.
10:17 [Music]
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