ISS Change of Command Ceremony | Alexey Ovchinin Hands Over to JAXA’s Takuya Onishi | April 18, 2025

Watch the official Change of Command Ceremony aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin passes leadership to JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi on April 18, 2025.

After leading Expedition 72, Ovchinin reflects on the mission’s accomplishments and teamwork before symbolically handing over the reins to Onishi, who becomes the next ISS commander—continuing a legacy of international cooperation in space.

🎙️ Highlights include:

Ovchinin’s farewell address and reflections

Onishi’s acceptance and words of gratitude

Crew gathered together in celebration

A heartfelt display of unity among NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, and JAXA astronauts

👨‍🚀 Crew Present Includes:
🔹 Aleksey Ovchinin (Roscosmos)
🔹 Ivan Vagner (Roscosmos)
🔹 Donald Pettit (NASA)
🔹 Takuya Onishi (JAXA)
🔹 Anne McClain (NASA)
🔹 Nicole Ayers (NASA)
🔹 Jonny Kim (NASA)
🔹 Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos)

This moment marks a peaceful and poignant transition in orbit, showcasing the continued collaboration across nations aboard humanity’s shared outpost in space.

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