International Space Station Welcomes New Crew Aboard Bearing Gifts of Caviar, Espresso Coffee

Russian Soyuz spacecraft TMA-15 M docked at the International Space stations at midnight EST Monday. NASA astronaut Terry Virts, Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency joined their Expedition 42 crewmates - Commander Barry Wilmore of NASA and Alexander Samoukutyaev and Elena Serova of Roscosmos.

"A new vehicle has arrived. The Soyuz is confirmed as attached properly," high above the Pacific ocean, Nasa television added. The trio will stay there till May 2015.

The crew members already at the ISS will leave for earth in March 2015 and Terry Virts will become commander for Expedition 43.

Expedition 42  will perform experiments that cover human research, biological and physical sciences, technology development and Earth. During their time on ISS they will get  resupplying vehicles from the US, Russia and Europe The crew will conduct up to three U.S. spacewalks, says NASA in its blogpost.

The new crew members are carrying with them some some welcome additions to the dry diet of the astronauts- an espresso maching and caviar

 "There will be 15 boxes of 30g each of caviar, but also apples, oranges, tomatoes and 140 doses of freeze-dried milk and black tea without sugar," a space station official was quoted as saying by Russian press agency Tass, reports the Guardian.

The 20 kg coffee machine has been designed by famed Italian coffee makers Lavazza and engineering firm Argotec, which specialises in making space food.

Cristoforetti, 37,  of the ESA is the first Italian woman astronaut to join the International Space Station. She is a captain in the Italian Air Force.  

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