In a moment that symbolizes international cooperation in space, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin has officially passed the reins of the International Space Station (ISS) to Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi.

During a heartfelt change-of-command ceremony on April 18, Ovchinin, representing Roscosmos, handed a symbolic key to Onishi from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). With emotion in his voice, Ovchinin urged, "Take care of our station. It's our everything." This touching remark underscores the significance of the ISS as a collaborative effort among nations.

Onishi expressed his gratitude, stating, "Thank you very much, Alexey. It's a great honor for me to accept the command of the ISS, and I feel so special that I am taking over the command from you." Their embrace, followed by applause from the ISS crew, marked a poignant moment in space history.

This ceremony is particularly significant as it also serves as a farewell to Ovchinin, cosmonaut Ivan Vagner, and NASA astronaut Don Pettit, who arrived at the ISS on September 11 via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. They are set to leave the station on April 19 at 5:57 p.m. EDT, concluding Expedition 72, which has been under Ovchinin's command.

The transition to Expedition 73 will officially begin under Onishi’s leadership, with the Soyuz spacecraft returning to Earth and landing on the vast steppes of Kazakhstan around 9:20 p.m. EDT on the same day.

Space enthusiasts can catch the exciting homecoming live on Space.com, marking the end of an era and the dawn of a new chapter aboard the ISS.