Unbelievable ‘Alien’ Encounter: ISS Crew Pranks SpaceX Team During Historic Docking

ISS-SpaceX: Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner added a touch of humour to the arrival of four new crew members by donning an alien mask as he greeted them aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked at 12:04 a.m., approximately 29 hours after its launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:03 p.m. on Friday.

As the ISS crew worked on preparations for the capsule’s hatch to open, Vagner was spotted floating around in a mask, hoodie, pants, and socks, embracing the playful atmosphere of the moment.

According to a NASA spokesperson who described the event as “lighthearted” in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner wears an alien mask (NASA/SPACEX)

Shortly after the hatches were unlocked at 1:35 a.m. EDT, the new arrivals—NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov—officially entered the ISS, as confirmed by NASA in an official statement.

Williams and Butch Wilmore are set to guide the newly arrived crew through the daily operations and key systems of the International Space Station (ISS) before making their long-awaited journey back to Earth after an extended nine-month stay.

Originally, their mission was intended to last just one week following the launch of Boeing’s first astronaut flight. However, unexpected technical challenges prevented a safe return, leading NASA to recall the Boeing Starliner without its crew, leaving them aboard the ISS far longer than planned.

This image made from video by NASA shows astronauts greeting each other after a SpaceX capsule docked with the International Space Station