South Korea's First Astronaut Docks at ISS

South Korea’s first astronaut arrived at the International Space Station today, and her country must be relieved—having paid $25 million to get her there, Space.com reports. The South Korean president called So-yeon Yi’s mission a “stepping stone” in that country’s fledgling space program; lacking ships of their own, they paid the Russians to take her on an 11-day spin.

"I feel really great," said Yi, a 29-year-old mechanical engineer. "I will try to do my best and I will spend all my energy for Koreans." She accompanied two Russian cosmonauts to the station. South Korea's president said the nation hopes to “launch its own space vehicle carrying its own satellite by 2020.” (More South Korea stories.)