The International Space Station one again has an Amateur Radio licensee onboard — European Space Agency Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF. She was part of a three-member ISS crew increment that launched in a Soyuz spacecraft launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Sunday night and safely docked with the ISS Monday morning. Cristoforetti is Italy’s first female space traveler. With her on the Soyuz were Russian Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov and NASA Astronaut Terry Virts. All three are part of the Station’s Expedition 42/43 crew.

Welcoming the trio to the space station were ISS Commander Barry Wilmore and Cosmonauts Yelena Serova and Alexander Samokutyaev. Cristoforetti is a former fighter pilot.

Since Alexander Gerst, KF5ONO, and Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT, returned to Earth on November 10, the ISS has been left without any radio amateurs onboard. Cristoforetti will spend about 6 months in space. Follow Samantha Cristoforetti on Twitter.