ISS CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY, Sept 22, 2024, Earth orbit, 10:15 am ET (NASA+)

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko will turn over command of the International Space Station to NASA astronaut  Suni Williams in a change-of-command ceremony at 10:15 am ET on September 22, 2024.   At that time Expedition 71 will end and Expedition 72 will begin.

The event will air on NASA+.

Kononenko is returning to Earth on Monday after one year on the ISS.

Williams arrived at the ISS as part of the Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test. NASA’s decision to return Starliner empty instead of with Williams and Butch Wilmore aboard because of concerns about the propulsion system meant that the two of them are remaining on the ISS and will become part of the next regular crew rotation, Crew-9, which is getting ready to launch on September 26 and return to Earth in February 2025.  Williams will be in command of the space station during that time.