Settlinginto their new digs in Earth orbit is a hectic process for the three new humansaboard the International Space Station (ISS).

ForExpedition 9 crewmembers Gennady Padalka and Michael Fincke, the next few daysare packed with station familiarization and hand-over activities to get betteracquainted with the orbital outpost that will be their home for the next sixmonths.

Dutchastronaut Andre Kuipers also has his hands full. As a temporary European SpaceAgency (ESA) visitor, has a full week of science experiments ahead of himbefore he returns to Earth with the space station's current caretakers on April29.

Expedition9 and Kuipers arrived at the ISS early Wednesday after a flawless April 18launch and smooth two-day voyage to the space station. Padalka and Fincke willto take over space station operations from Expedition 8 commander Michael Foaleand flight engineer cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri.

Beforethey launched, and even now while in orbit, Expedition 9 and Kuipers have beeneager to discuss their space flight. Here's a closer look at the three newestISS residents:

The veteran

Ascommander of Expedition 9, Padalka is no stranger to long-duration berthsaboard space stations.

In1999 he commanded the Expedition 26 mission to the then operational Russianspace station Mir, spending 198 days in space. His current six-month stayaboard ISS falls a few days short of his personal record.

"Ithink that we need to have ambitious goals for space," said Padalka beforehis flight. "Because only those goals will encourage exploration."

Padalkasees the international cooperation between the United States, Russia and othernations involved with the ISS as the only way to conduct the huge effort thatis manned space flight.

"It'simpossible for one country to have a space station on its own," he said."It seems to me we are a considerable compliment to each other."

Whilehis commitment to manned space flight is strong today, Padalka did not plan onmaking a career out of riding rockets into space. A Russian Air Force colonel,husband and father of three, Padalka's first passion was aviation.

"Iwas a military pilot," he said. "I never dreamed of becoming anastronaut."

Butchance meeting with famed cosmonaut and pilot Alexei Leonov, the first man towalk in space, changed Padalka's mind. Leonov suggested Padalka give theRussian cosmonaut corps a try, and he complied, ultimately being accepted fullyinto the cosmonaut ranks in 1991.

"Nowit's my best hobby," Padalka said.

Thereis much work to be done during the Expedition 9 increment aboard ISS, includinga myriad of life science experiments and two scheduled spacewalks to maintainthe station and prepare it for a European cargo ship. An extra, unplannedspacewalk to fix a faulty power unit to one of station's gyroscopes is underdiscussion.

Padalkais bringing along some classical music to wind down during off-duty moments.

"Ilike to listen to calm, quiet music and just look through the window," hesaid.

The rookie

Unlikethe space seasoned Padalka, Expedition 9 is the first space flight for NASA ISSScience Officer Michael Fincke, an Emsworth, Pennsylvania native who has spentthe last eight years in astronaut training.

NASA'sAstronaut Corps readying himself for what has been a personal dream.

"Iwas impressed by the size and beauty of this space station," said Fincke,a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, from aboard the space stationduring a teleconference held Friday.

TheNASA astronaut said he'd originally expected to become a space shuttleastronaut. But he's spent the last four years training as backups for spacestation expeditions, most of which working alongside Padalka.

"Itis a big difference between a 10 or 14 day mission and a six-monthmission," Fincke said before his flight. "I'm lucky to be here butI'm told [by his wife] that I owe her big time."

Fincke'swife Renita is expecting the couple's second child in the months the NASAastronaut will spend in space. The baby is due sometime in June and Padalka hastold Fincke that the birth would be a nice birthday present since the cosmonautwill turn 46 on June 21.

Despitetheir already packed schedule of station keeping, science and spacewalks,Fincke is optimistic that he, Padalka and their ground support teams in Houstonand Korolev, Russia will work through any problem that arises.

"We'reready for whatever comes our way," he said from the ISS. "Somethinglike the repair to the remote power control module is a relatively easy taskthat I'm well prepared for."

The doctor

Accompanyingthe Expedition 9 crew for part of their ISS stay is Kuipers, a native ofAmsterdam in the Netherlands and the first Dutch astronaut to visit the spacestation.

Hisnine-day ESA science mission, the Dutch Expedition for Life Science Technologyand Atmospheric Research (DELTA), features a packed schedule of biologicalstudies on the human bodys reactions to space flight.

Itwas a pleasure to get on board and Im very tempted to stay, Kuipers said duringa teleconference from orbit Friday.

LikeFincke, reaching space has been a lifelong goal for Kuipers since childhood,when he watched the Tracy family fly their spaceships on televisionsThunderbirds.

Iwanted to become an astronaut before I ever became a doctor, he said.

Kuipershas worked with ESA since 1991 and it was his research into human adaptation tospace that led to his astronaut status in 1999. He has served as a projectscientist in several mission experiments that rode on both the space shuttleand Mir space station.

Forme, that was a very good beginning, Kuipers said before his launch, addingthat on DELTA he is both scientist and subject. Its good to have been on theother side.

Kuipersis the sixth ESA astronaut to fly in space and the second of his countryman toreach orbit following Wubbo Ockels, who flew aboard the space shuttleChallenger in 1985.

.