Live coverage: Soyuz crew lands in Kazakhstan

Space station flight engineer Jeff Williams will send commands Thursday to pump air into an experimental soft-sided module developed by commercial space habitat builder Bigelow Aerospace, expanding the structure to four times its current size in a stepping stone to future orbital destinations. Live video begins at 5:30 a.m. EDT (0930 GMT).

Photos captured by astronauts on the International Space Station show a Japanese cargo freighter, covered with reflective solar panels and golden insulation, on final approach to the 250-mile-high outpost.

The crew is expected to land in Florida around 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 UTC) on Friday. April 1 at 6:24 p.m. EDT (2224 UTC) is the earliest launch opportunity during a six-day window.