The International Space Station will shortly be receiving ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano. Arriving at the station just six hours after launch, he’ll be onboard for six months. During this time ESA’s fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle will dock to the station, in addition to other resupply vessels – Japan’s HTV and SpaceX’s Dragon, plus a test docking mission of Orbital Science’s Cygnus vessel. Preparations will also be made for the addition of Russia’s Multipurpose Laboratory Module.