Astronaut Training at Cosmonaut Hotel

Various astronauts prepare for space missions, attending press conferences, and rehearsing procedures in training settings at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Kazakhstan.

Expedition 58 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, center, answers a question during a press conference, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. He is seen with fellow crewmates Flight Engineer Anne McClain of NASA, left, and Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), right. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for Dec. 3 and will carry Kononenko, McClain, and Saint-Jacques into orbit to begin their six and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 56 flight engineer Serena Auñón-Chancellor of NASA, left, answers a question during a press conference along with Soyuz Commander Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos, center, and flight engineer Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency), right, Tuesday, June 5, 2018 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Auñón-Chancellor, Prokopyev, and Gerst are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft on Wednesday, June 6.

11-08-11:At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and NASA Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman (right) practice rendezvous techniques on laptop simulators May 21 as they head into the homestretch of their pre-launch training. The trio will launch on May 29, Kazakh time, on the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e097767 - At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 backup crewmembers Drew Morgan of NASA (left), Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (center) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right) rehearse rendezvous procedures on a laptop computer Nov. 27 as part of their pre-launch training. They are the backups to Anne McClain of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency who will launch Dec. 3 on the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Technicians work on the Russian Sokol suits of Expedition 11 Flight Engineer and NASA Science Officer John Phillips, seated left, and Commander Sergei Krikalev, seated right, prior to launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Friday, April 15, 2005, for a two-day trip to the International Space Station.

Expedition 58 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, center, answers a question during a press conference, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. He is seen with fellow crewmates Flight Engineer Anne McClain of NASA, left, and Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), right. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for Dec. 3 and will carry Kononenko, McClain, and Saint-Jacques into orbit to begin their six and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 38/39 Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin (center) and NASA Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio (right) report for the start of their flight qualification exam simulations Oct. 15, 2013. The trio is scheduled to launch on Nov. 7, local time, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

Expedition 65 crew members NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, left, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, center, and Russian cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos arrive for Soyuz qualification exams Monday, March 22, 2021, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia, in advance of their scheduled launch April 9 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

jsc2020e016846 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 63 crewmember Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos suits up March 25 for pre-launch training activities. Vagner, Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Chris Cassidy of NASA will launch April 9 on the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft from Baikonur for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

jsc2018e081174 (Sept. 14, 2018) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 57 crew members Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (left) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) report to officials Sept. 14 for the second day of their Soyuz qualification exams. They will launch Oct. 11 on the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.

At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 37/38 Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov (center) and Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy come under the watchful eye of training instructors Sept. 18 as they practice rendezvous and docking techniques on a laptop computer simulator. Hopkins, Kotov and Ryazanskiy are set to launch Sept. 26, Kazakh time, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on their Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft for a five and a half month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 36 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin is seen talking to family members after donning his Russian Sokol suit in preparation for his launch aboard the Soyuz rocket, Tuesday, May 28, 2013, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send Yurchikhin, Flight Engineer Karen Nyberg and European Space Agency Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano on a five and a half-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 28 Flight Engineer Mike Fossum, third from right sitting, and JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa, second from right, sit while Expedition 28 Soyuz Commander Sergei Volkov has his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Volkov, Fossum and Furukawa are scheduled to launch in the Soyuz TMA-02M spacecraft to the International Space Station the following morning on June 8th.

Expedition 31 NASA flight engineer Joe Acaba signs for his Soyuz vehicle simulation test card before senior officials at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Tuesday, April 24, 2012 in Star City, Russia, while his fellow crew members Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka, left, and flight engineer Sergei Revin look on. Acaba, Padalka and Revin are set to launch to the International Space Station May 15 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

From Left to Right, Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, and Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov report to space officials on the results of the dress rehearsal of their launch activities Tuesday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Chiao, Sharipov and Shargin are scheduled to launch October 14 on their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft to the International Space Station.

Expedition 35 Press Conference

Work Request Description: Expedition 55 Preflight, Launch

jsc2017e101940 (July 22, 2017) --- At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 52-53 crewmembers Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency (left), Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Randy Bresnik of NASA (right) brush up on rendezvous procedures on a laptop computer simulator July 22 as part of their pre-launch activities. Ryazanskiy, Bresnik and Nespoli will launch July 28 on the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a five-month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 43 NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, left, and Russian Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, and Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) talk to family, friends, and officials from behind glass before departing for their launch onboard the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft to the International Space Station Friday, March 27, 2015 in Baikonor, Kazakhstan. Kelly, Padalka, and Kornienko launched to the ISS from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 28, Kazakh time (March 27 Eastern time.) As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

Expedition 43 backup crew members Sergei Volkov, left, and Alexey Ovchinin and of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), center, and NASA Astronaut Jeff Williams attend a training briefing, Saturday, March 21, 2015 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 43 prime crew members: NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, and Russian Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, and Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station in the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 28, Kazakh time (March 27 Eastern time.) As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

Pavel V. Vinogradov, right, Russias Federal Space Agency Expedition 13 International Space Station Commander; Marcos Pontes, Brazilian Space Agency Soyuz crew member; and Jeffrey N. Williams, left, Expedition 13 Science Officer and Flight Engineer, waves at media representatives during a tour of the Soyuz assembly building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Sunday, March 26, 2006.

Expedition 64 backup crew member Petr Dubrov of Roscosmos signs in for his Soyuz qualification exams as crew mates Mark Vande Hei of NASA, left, and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos look on, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia.

jsc2018e025549 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 backup crewmembers Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (left) and Nick Hague of NASA (center) listen to training instructors March 15 as part of their pre-launch activities. They are serving as backups to the prime crewmembers, Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold of NASA and Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, who will launch March 21 on the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on a five-month mission to the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Expedition 43 NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, left, and Russian Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, center, and Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) take a moment during their Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft fit check to pose for a photograph while holding their pressurized Russian Sokol suits, Sunday, March 15, 2015 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The trio are preparing for launch to the International Space Station in their Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 28, Kazakh time. As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

Expedition 55 flight engineer Ricky Arnold of NASA, left, Soyuz Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, center, and flight engineer Drew Feustel of NASA, right, are seen after having their Russian Sokol suits pressure checked in preparation for launch aboard the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft, Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome Kazakhstan. Arnold, Artemyev, and Feustel launched aboard the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft at 1:44 p.m. Eastern time (11:44 p.m. Baikonur time) on March 21 to begin their journey to the International Space Station.

Expedition 59 astronaut Nick Hague of NASA, left, and backup crewmember Drew Morgan of NASA are seen during a press conference, Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Hague, Koch, and Ovchinin will launch March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.

At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmembers Christina Koch of NASA (second from the left), Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (second from the right) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) review flight plan activities March 7 with instructors as they prepare for launch. They will launch March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 35-36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy of NASA (second from left) signs a book before Russian space officials March 5, certifying that he is prepared to begin qualification simulation runs in a Soyuz spacecraft mockup. Looking on are Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov (second from right) and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin (right). The three crewmembers are training for launch March 29, Kazakh time, to the International Space Station in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.NASA / Stephanie Stoll

Expedition 37 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov, left, and Russian Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy share a laugh at a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for September 26 and will send Kotov, Ryazanski and NASA Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins on a five and a half-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the next trio of crewmembers who will launch to the International Space Station brush up on rendezvous techniques May 10, 2012 by flying” an approach to the station on a laptop computer simulator as they prepare for liftoff. With their instructor (far left) are Expedition 31/32 Flight Engineer Joe Acaba of NASA (second from left), Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin (right). They will launch May 15 on the Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to begin a four-month mission on the orbital outpost.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2020e016955 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 63 backup crewmembers Steve Bowen of NASA (left) and Sergey Ryzhikov (center) and Andrei Babkin (right) of Roscosmos practice rendezvous techniques on a laptop simulator April 1. They are the backups to the prime crew, Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos, who will launch April 9 on the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center..

Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) (center), and Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti (right) of the European Space Agency , wave as they are introduced during a press conference, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The mission to the International Space Station is set to launch Nov. 24 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Expedition 42 prime crew members, Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) (center), and Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti (right) of the European Space Agency are seen during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014. The mission is set to launch Nov. 24 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut and Expedition 28 Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa, right, waves to friends and family, while Soyuz Commander Sergei Volkov looks on at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Tuesday, June 7, 2011. The crew of Expedition 28 will launch onboard their Soyuz TMA-02M on the morning of June 8 to the International Space Station.

jsc2020e017048 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA (left) and Anatoly Ivanishin (center) and Ivan Vagner (right) of Roscosmos pose for pictures April 8 as they prepare for launch. They will launch April 9 on the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

Expedition 64 prime crew members NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, left, and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, center, and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, right, of Roscosmos, are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Rubins, Ryzhikov, and Kud-Sverchkov are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft on October 14.

Expedition 9 backup Commander Leroy Chiao, far left, backup Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov, second from left, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka, center, NASA International Space Station Science Officer Mike Fincke, second from right and Flight Engineer and European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands speak to members of the State Commission from behind glass at building 254 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome prior to their final fit check in the Soyuz, Wednesday, April 14, 2004, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

From left to right, Expedition 65 prime crew members NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, and Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov, and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, are seen with backup crew members Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Oleg Artemyev, and NASA astronaut Anne McClain while signing mission books after the final Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft fit check, Sunday, April 4, 2021 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The prime crew is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft on April 9.

At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 50-51 crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA (left), Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (right) practice rendezvous and docking procedures on a laptop simulator computer Nov. 10 as part of their preflight training. They will launch Nov. 18, Baikonur time, on the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Alexander Vysotsky

Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, as seen during a press conference, Tuesday, May 27, 2014, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, ESA, and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA will launch aboard their Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft on their mission to the International Space Station in the early hours of May 29.

jsc2020e017100 - Expedition 63 Preflight - Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA, seated left, Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos, seated right, pose for a photo with backup crew members Steve Bowen of NASA, standing left, Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrei Babkin and of Roscosmos , standing right after the crew had their Sokol suits pressure checked prior to launch on a Soyuz rocket, Thursday, April 9, 2020 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. A few hours later, they lifted off for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 65 backup crew member, Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos signs in for Soyuz qualification exams Saturday, March 20, 2021 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia, in advance of the Expedition 65 launch April 9 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

Expedition 57 prime crew members Nick Hague, left, Alexey Ovchinin, second from left, are seen with backup crew members Oleg Kononenko, and David Saint-Jacques, right, following a press conference, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Hague and Ovchinin are scheduled to launch on October 11 and will spend the next six months living and working aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 35 NASA Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov is has his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked ahead of his launch onboard a Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft to the International Space Station, Thursday, March 28, 2013, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send Vinogradov, NASA Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy and Russian Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin on a five and a half-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 65 backup crew member Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos heads inside the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft during a fit check with fellow Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, Saturday, March 27, 2021 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The prime crew is scheduled to launch on a Soyuz rocket April 9.

Expedition 24 Flight Engineer Doug Wheelock, left, answers a reporters question during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, while Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin looks on, Monday, June 14, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 24 NASA Flight Engineers Shannon Walker and Douglas Wheelock, and Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 3:35 a.m. Kazakhstan time.

jsc2018e043411 (May 10, 2018) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 56 prime crew member Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos signs in for the first of two days of final Soyuz qualification exams May 10. Prokopyev, Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency will launch June 6 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crewmembers Christina Koch of NASA (left), Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (center) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) report to Russian space officials Feb. 19 during the first of two days of final pre-launch qualification exams. They will launch March 14, U.S. time, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Beth Weissinger

At the historic museum near the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 31/32 backup and prime crews pose for pictures May 11, 2012 in front of the mural depicting the likeness of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly in space. The photo session took place as training for the launch of Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka, Flight Engineer Joe Acaba of NASA and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin drew to a close for their liftoff May 15 in their Soyuz TMA-04 spacecraft to begin a four-month mission on the International Space Station. From left to right are backup crewmembers Oleg Novitskiy, Kevin Ford of NASA and Evgeny Tarelkin, and the prime crew, Padalka, Revin and Acaba. In the foreground are replicas of the small cottages Gagarin and the Russian space programs “Great Designer”, Sergei Korolev slept in on the eve of Gagarins launch on April 12, 1961. The real cottages are located near the museum in Baikonur.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 49 crew members Shane Kimbrough of NASA, left, Sergey Ryzhikov, center, and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, right, pose for pictures in front of the base of a Soyuz rocket on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 49 flight engineer Shane Kimbrough of NASA, flight engineer Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, and Soyuz commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 19.

Expedition 65 prime crew member NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, gives a thumbs up as he heads inside the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft during a fit check to prepare for launch with fellow Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos, Saturday, March 27, 2021 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They are scheduled to launch on a Soyuz rocket April 9.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 46-47 prime crewmembers Tim Peake of the European Space Agency (left), Tim Kopra of NASA (center) and Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, right) answer reporters questions Nov. 19 at the start of two days of qualification exams. They will launch Dec. 15 in the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Seth Marcantel

Expedition 55 Soyuz Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, left, and flight engineer Drew Feustel of NASA, right, talk with family and friends after having their Russian Sokol suits pressure checked in preparation for launch aboard the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft, Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Artemyev, Feustel, and flight engineer Ricky Arnold of NASA launched aboard the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft at 1:44 p.m. Eastern time (11:44 p.m. Baikonur time) on March 21 to begin their journey to the International Space Station.

1863:At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 41/42 prime crewmembers Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (left), NASAs Barry Wilmore (center) and Elena Serova of Roscosmos (right) listen to instructions from officials September 3 at the start of final qualification exams. They will launch September 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. Serova will become only the fourth Russian woman to fly in space and the first Russian woman to conduct a long duration mission on the station.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

Expedition 35 Press Conference

jsc2019e053717 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the next crew to launch to the International Space Station reviews its flight plan with training instructors Sept. 18 as part of pre-launch training. Spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates (left) and Expedition 61 crewmembers Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos (center) and Jessica Meir of NASA (right) are set to launch Sept. 25 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft for a mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e081047 (Sept. 12, 2018) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 57 crewmembers Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (left) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) report for duty Sept. 13 for the first day of their Soyuz qualification exams. Ovchinin and Hague are scheduled to launch Oct. 11 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft for a six month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Sarah Volkman.

Expedition 42 crew members, Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA, left, Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), center, and Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency (ESA), right, prepare for pressure checks of their Sokol suits in Building 254 following their suit up for launch, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for the early hours of Nov. 24 and will carry Virts, Shkaplerov, and Cristoforetti into orbit to begin their five and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 36/37 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), center, Flight Engineers; Karen Nyberg of NASA, left, and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, are seen during the crew's press conference at the Cosmonaut Hotel, Monday, May 27, 2013, in Kazakhstan. The crew is in quarantine and behind glass during the press conference in preparation for their launch on a Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday May 29, Kazakh time. Yurchikhin, Nyberg, and, Parmitano, will remain aboard the station until mid-November.

jsc2018e051931 - In the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 56 prime and backup crews pose for pictures May 31 flanking a portrait of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly in space. From left to right are the prime crewmembers, Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA, Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency and Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos and the backup crew, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency and Anne McClain of NASA. Aunon-Chancellor, Prokopyev and Gerst will launch June 6 in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. ..NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

17-11-13-47-2:(17 Sept. 2014) --- At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 41/42 Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), right, brushes up on docking skills on a laptop computer simulator Sept. 17 as pre-launch preparations continue for the crew. Looking on are NASA Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore (left) and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos. The trio will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Sept. 26, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. Serova will become the fourth Russian woman to fly in space and the first Russian woman to live and work on the station.

nhq201707070004 (July 7, 2017) --- Expedition 52 flight engineers Paolo Nespoli of ESA, left, Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos, center, and Randy Bresnik of NASA meet with, Cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko, left, Cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, Deputy Director, GCTC, Cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri, John McBrine, NASA Director of Operations, GCTC and Mark Bowman, NASA Soyuz Technical Lead ahead of the crew's final Soyuz qualification exam, Friday, July 7, 2017 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, the Expedition 36/37 backup crewmembers checked in for their qualification exams May 6 in support of the prime crewmembers preparing for launch to the International Space Station. From left to right are Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin and NASAs Rick Mastracchio. The prime crew, NASAs Karen Nyberg, Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency are set to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in their Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft on May 29, Kazakh time, for a five-month mission.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

jsc2020e016216 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 63 crewmember Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos (center) signs in for qualification exams March 11 as crewmate Chris Cassidy of NASA (left) looks on. Ivanishin, Cassidy and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos are preparing for their scheduled launch April 9 in the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

Expedition 31 NASA NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba signs for his International Space Station Russian segment event simulation test card before senior officials at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Monday, April 23, 2012 in Star City, Russia, while his fellow crew members Soyuz commander Gennady Padalka (left) and Sergei Revin look on. Acaba, Padalka and Revin are set to launch May 15 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in their Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft to the International Space Station.

Expedition 65 backup crew members NASA astronaut Anne McClain, left, Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, center, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos arrive for Soyuz qualification exams Saturday, March 20, 2021 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia, in advance of the Expedition 65 launch April 9 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

Expedition 64 NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, left, and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, center, and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, right, of Roscosmos take a moment during the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft fit check to pose for a photograph, Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The trio are preparing for launch to the International Space Station in their Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on October 14, Baikonur time.

Expedition 58 crew, from top to bottom, Flight Engineer Anne McClain of NASA, Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) speak to family and friends after having their Russian Sokol suits pressure checked in preparation for their launch aboard the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for the same day and will carry Kononenko, Saint-Jacques, and McClain into orbit to begin their six and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 65 crew member Russian cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos, signs in for Soyuz qualification exams Monday, March 22, 2021 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia, in advance of his scheduled launch April 9 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, the Expedition 35-36 backup crewmembers are greeted by Russian space officials March 4 as they prepare for a series of qualification simulations in Soyuz and Russian segment trainers. NASA Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins (left), Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov (center) and Flight Engineer Sergei Ryazanskiy (right) will backup prime crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov and Alexander Misurkin, who are preparing for launch to the International Space Station March 29 (Kazakh time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft.NASA / Stephanie Stoll

Expedition 60 flight engineer Andrew Morgan of NASA, left, Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos, center, and flight engineer Luca Parmitano of ESA (European Space Agency), right, wave as they depart the Cosmonaut Hotel to suit-up for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station, Saturday, July 20, 2019 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft with Skvortsov, Morgan, and Parmitano occurred at 12:28 p.m. Eastern time (9:28 p.m. Baikonur time) on July 20 beginning their mission to the International Space Station.

Expedition 28 Soyuz Commander Sergei Volkov, right, and Expedition 28 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Mike Fossum sit after having their Russian Sokol suits pressure checked at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, June 7, 2011. The crew of Expedition 28 will launch onboard their Soyuz TMA-02M on the morning of June 8 to the International Space Station.

Expedition 64 backup crew members Petr Dubrov, left, and Oleg Novitskiy, center, of Roscosmos, and Mark Vande Hei of NASA, right, are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 64 prime crew members Kate Rubins of NASA, and Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft on October 14.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crewmembers Christina Koch of NASA (left), Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (center) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) wave to cameras Feb. 19 during the first of two days of final pre-launch qualification exams. They will launch March 14, U.S. time, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Beth Weissinger

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 36/37 Flight Engineer Karen Nyberg of NASA signs in for the start of final qualification training April 30 as she and her crewmates prepare for their launch May 29, Kazakh time, in their Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Nyberg is launching with Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

jsc2018e025594 - In the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 55 prime and backup crewmembers sign a flag bearing their Soyuz MS-08 crew patch insignia March 16 during a traditional preflight tour of the museum. From left to right are backup crewmembers Nick Hague of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and prime crewmembers Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, Ricky Arnold of NASA and Drew Feustel of NASA, who will launch March 21 on the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Expedition 41 Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA, left, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), center, and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos, right, are seen prior to having their Russian Sokol suits pressure checked in preparation for their launch onboard the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft on Thursday, September 25, 2014, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Soyuz spacecraft with Wilmore, Samokutyaev, and Serova is scheduled to launch at 2:25 a.m. Kazakhstan Time on Friday, September 26.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 prime crewmembers Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left), Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos (center) and Kate Rubins of NASA (right) report to officials May 26 at the start of final qualification exams. Rubins, Onishi and Ivanishin will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

JSC2003-E-59058 (13 October 2003) --- Astronaut C. Michael Foale (left), Expedition 8 mission commander and NASA ISS science officer; cosmonaut Alexander Y. Kaleri, Soyuz commander and flight engineer; and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain receive a briefing in a processing facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan during a pre-launch inspection of their Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft. The trio is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on October 18 onboard a Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station (ISS). Kaleri represents Rosaviakosmos.

Expedition 59 cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, reclined left, Nick Hague and Christina Koch of NASA, right, have their Sokol suits pressure checked prior to launch on a Soyuz rocket, Thursday, March 14, 2019 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Hague, Koch, and Ovchinin launched March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.

. SpaceX USCV-7 (Crew 7)Imagery provided by SpaceX

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crewmember Christina Koch of NASA boards a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Feb. 20 during the second day of final pre-launch qualifications exams. Koch, Nick Hague of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch March 14, U.S. time, in the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Beth Weissinger

Expedition 60 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos, left, and flight engineer Luca Parmitano of ESA (European Space Agency) are seen during a press conference, Friday, July 19, 2019 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Skvortsov, Parmitano, and flight engineer Andrew Morgan of NASA, are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft at 12:28 p.m. Eastern time (9:28 p.m. Baikonur time) on Saturday, July 20.

Expedition 32 JAXA Flight Engineer Akihiko Hoshide, left, Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko and NASA Flight Engineer Sunita Williams wait after having their Sokol suits pressure checked in preparation for their launch onboard the Soyuz TMA-05M on Sunday, July 15, 2012 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Hoshide, Malenchenko and Williams is scheduled for the morning of Sunday, July 15, local time.

jsc2017e135200 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 54-55 prime crewmember Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) signs in for the start of the crews final qualification exam activities Nov. 29 as crewmate Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) looks on. Shkaplerov, Kanai and Scott Tingle of NASA will launch Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

jsc2018e084641 - During a tour of the city of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 57 backup crewmembers Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (left) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (right) pose for pictures Sept. 27 at the statue of Sergei Korolev, the Russian space designer icon, during traditional pre-launch ceremonies. They are the backups to the prime crew, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Nick Hague of NASA, who will launch Oct. 11 on the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Expedition 64 crew members NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, left, and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, center, and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos, right, pose for a picture as part of pre-launch activities, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The trio are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft on October 14.

jsc2018e025591 - In the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 crewmember Drew Feustel of NASA (left) signs a wall mural depicting a Soyuz launch March 16 as part of traditional prelaunch activities. Looking on is NASA crewmate Ricky Arnold (right). Along with Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, they will launch March 21 on the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Expedition 65 crew member Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos, signs in for Soyuz qualification exams Monday, March 22, 2021, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia, in advance of his scheduled launch April 9 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

PHOTO DATE: 09 July 2014LOCATION: Bldg. 5 - Space Station Training Facility High BaySUBJECT: Expedition 42/43 cake cutting ceremony Soyuz 40(Soyuz 40(Alexander Samokutyaev, Yelena Serova, Barry Wilmore) & Soyuz 41(Anton Shkaplerov, Samantha Cristoforetti, Terry Virts) with ISS trainers.

Expedition 24 preflight

Expedition 39 backup crew member Elena Serova of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during the final press conference held ahead of the launch of Expedition 39 prime crew members; Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA, and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, to the International Space Station, Monday, March 24, 2014 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Expedition 49 crew members Shane Kimbrough of NASA, left, Soyuz commander Sergey Ryzhikov, center, and flight engineer Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, right, are seen during a tour of the Baikonur Cosmodrome Museum on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Kimbrough, Ryzhikov, and Borisenko are scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 19.

Expedition 68 Press Conference. Expedition 68 astronaut Frank Rubio of NASA, left, cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin of Roscosmos, along with Expedition 68 backup crewmembers Loral O'Hara of NASA, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Roscosmos, right, are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Rubio, Prokoyev, and Petelin are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft on Sept. 21.

Expedition 54 backup crew members Jeanette Epps of NASA, left, Sergey Prokopev of Roscosmos, center, and Alex Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency), right, pose for a picture as the Soyuz rocket is rolled out to the pad, Friday, Dec. 15, 2017 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 54 Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, flight engineer Scott Tingle of NASA, and flight engineer Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are scheduled to launch at 2:21 a.m. Eastern Time (1:21 p.m. Baikonur time) on Dec. 17 and will spend the next five months living and working aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 10 Commander Leroy Chiao, left, Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov and European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori, right, receive flowers upon arrival in Kustanay, Kazakhstan, Monday, April 25, 2005. Chiao, Sharipov and Vittori brought their Soyuz TMA-5 capsule to a pre-dawn landing April 25 northeast of the town of Arkalyk to wrap up a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station for Chiao and Sharipov, and a ten-day mission for Vittori, who flew under a commercial contract between ESA and the Russian Federal Space Agency.

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, right, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov and Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, left, donned their launch and entry suits and climbed aboard their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Friday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a dress rehearsal of launch day activities leading to their liftoff October 14 to the International Space Station. Chiao and Sharipov, the first crew of all-Asian extraction, will spend six months on the Station. Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Stations' current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke.

On the front screen in the cavernous control room at the Russian Mission Control Center in Korolev, Russia, the Expedition 50 crewmembers receive congratulatory calls from friends and family Nov. 20 following the arrival of Peggy Whitson of NASA, Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency at the International Space Station on the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft. Hatches opened between the Soyuz and the station about two and a half hours after the Soyuz docked to the complex. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 33/34 prime crewmembers Flight Engineer Kevin Ford of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy (center) and Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin (right) check in for the first of two days of final qualifications exams September 20, 2012 as they prepare for their launch October 23 in the Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.Stephanie Stoll/NASA

jsc2018e094963 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 58 crewmember David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency signs in for his qualification exams Nov. 13. Saint-Jacques, Anne McClain of NASA and Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos will launch Dec. 3 on the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Sarah Volkman.

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