There are now 19 people in Earth orbit, a new record for the number of people there, according to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

"Following Wednesday's launch, the International Space Station (ISS) now has 19 people in orbit, a new record for humanity," NASA said in a statement posted on X.

The previous record was set in May 2023. At the time, there were a total of 17 people aboard the International Space Station, as well as the Chinese Tiangong space station for a short time.

On September 11, the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft, carrying two Russians and one American, was launched to the International Space Station and docked with the station at night on the same day. The crew included Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexei Ovchinin and Ivan Wagner, as well as NASA astronaut Donald Pettit.

They will remain in orbit for 202 days. During their trip to the ITC, a walk in open space with the Russian program is planned, as well as the arrival of the cargo ships "Progress MS-29" and "Progress MS-30" and scientific and applied research.