WASHINGTON -- "I'm thrilled to be back on the ISS," astronaut Soichi Noguchi said during communications with Earth, having last been on the International Space Station in 2010.
"We are in a very difficult situation due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, but we will do our best to overcome this difficulty," said Noguchi, who plans to conduct medical experiments during his six-month stay.
Noguchi entered the ISS about two hours after the Crew Dragon, carrying three other astronauts, docked after a 27-1/2-hour journey from Earth.
The 55-year-old did not show signs of fatigue from the long journey and smiled while hugging the astronauts stationed on the ISS.
Privately owned Crew Dragon docked at the space station orbiting about 400 kilometers above Earth at past 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Japan time.
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