Cosmonaut Training and Pre-launch Events

Group images of astronauts in training and pre-launch activities, highlighting international collaboration in space exploration at training facilities.

Expedition 57 prime crew members Nick Hague, left, Alexey Ovchinin are seen during 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.

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

6404:In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 42/43 crewmembers Terry Virts of NASA (left), Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency (right) answer questions from reporters Nov. 19 during their second and final pre-launch fit check” dress rehearsal activities. The trio will launch on Nov. 24, Kazakh time, from Baikonur on the Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Viktor Ivanov

Expedition 39 flight engineer Steve Swanson of NASA and Soyuz commander Aleksander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during the final press conference be Monday, March 24, 2014, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The mission to the International Space Station is set to launch March 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Expedition 57 prime crew members Nick Hague, left, Alexey Ovchinin are seen during 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 41 backup crew members, Flight Engineer Scott Kelly of NASA, left, Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka of Roscosmos, center, and Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos, right, are seen during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. The prime crew of Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev, of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos are set to launch to the International Space Station on Sept. 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

jsc2017e101949 (July 22, 2017) --- At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 52-53 crewmembers Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency (left), Randy Bresnik of NASA (center) and Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, right) sign a flag bearing their Soyuz spacecraft insignia at the Korolev Museum July 24 as part of traditional pre-launch activities. Nespoli, Bresnik and Ryazanskiy will launch July 28 aboard the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station.

In the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 36/37 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin (center) listens to a briefing on flight data file material from training instructors May 22 as he, NASA Flight Engineer Karen Nyberg (left) and Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right) prepare for their launch May 29, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft to begin a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

nhq2017070600111 (July 6, 2017) --- Expedition 52 flight engineers Paolo Nespoli of ESA, left, Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos, center, and Randy Bresnik of NASA are seen as they start their second to last day of qualification exams, Thursday, July 6, 2017 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia.

Expedition 68 Preflight. Expedition 68 astronaut Frank Rubio of NASA, left, and cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin of Roscosmos, right, arrive at the launch pad to board their Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft for launch, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Rubio, Prokopyev and Petelin launched onboard the Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a mission on the International Space Station.

jsc2018e050821 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 56 crewmembers Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA (left), Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos (center) and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (right) conduct rendezvous and docking procedures on a laptop training simulator May 29 as part of their pre-launch preparations. Aunon-Chancellor, Prokopyev and Gerst 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/Victor Zelentsov.

Expedition 37 NASA Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins, left, and Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov 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 Hopkins, Kotov and Russian Flight Engineer Sergei Ryazansky on a five and a half-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

Standing next to a model of a Soyuz rocket, Expedition 36/37 backup crewmembers Mikhail Tyurin (left), Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (center) and Rick Mastracchio of NASA (right) take in a tour of the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan May 19. The trio is serving as backups for prime crewmembers Karen Nyberg of NASA, Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, who are preparing for launch May 29, Kazakh time, in their Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft to begin a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 42 prime crew members, Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA (far left), Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) (second left), and Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency (center) pose for a photo with Expedition 42 back up crew members, Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren of NASA (third right), Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) (second right), and Flight Engineeer Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) (far right) at the conclusion of the 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.

Expedition 43 NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, left, Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, center, and Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) are seen during a crew press conference, Thursday, March 26, 2015, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Kelly, Kornienko, and Padalka launched 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.

jsc2017e137342 - At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 54-55 backup crewmembers Jeanette Epps of NASA (left), Sergey Prokopyev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (right) confer with Soyuz spacecraft trainers Dec. 11 as part of their pre-launch training. They are serving as backups to Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and Scott Tingle of NASA who will launch Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a five month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin / Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

Expedition 41 prime crew members, 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, pose for a photo at the conclusion of the press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. Their mission to the International Space Station is set to launch Sept. 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

jsc2017e040293 (April 6, 2017) --- In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 51 crewmembers Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left) and Jack Fischer of NASA (right) pose for pictures April 6 with their Russian Sokol launch and entry suits as part of pre-launch training preparations. Fischer and Yurchikhin will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center/Andrey Shelepin

Expedition 50 crew members NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, left, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, center, and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet prepare for their final qualification exams, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia.

JSC2007-E-15347 (March 2007) --- Attired in Russian Sokol launch and entry suits, cosmonauts Fyodor N. Yurchikhin (center), Expedition 15 commander; and Oleg V. Kotov (right), flight engineer, both representing Russia's Federal Space Agency; and astronaut Clayton Anderson, flight engineer, take a break from training in Star City, Russia to pose for a portrait.

jsc2020e017046 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 63 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures April 8 as they prepare for launch. From left to right are prime crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos and backup crewmembers Andrei Babkin and Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos and Steve Bowen of NASA. Cassidy, Ivanishin and Vagner 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.

Marcos Pontes, left, Brazilian Space Agency Soyuz crew member; Pavel V. Vinogradov, Russias Federal Space Agency Expedition 13 International Space Station Commander; and Jeffrey N. Williams, right, Expedition 13 Science Officer and Flight Engineer, talk with the media after the crew's final check of the Soyuz at building 254 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Sunday, March 26, 2006.

jsc2018e050826 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 56 backup crewmembers Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (left) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency try their hand at a game of chess May 29 as part of the traditional pre-launch ceremonies. They are two of the backups to the prime crew, Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA, Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, who 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/Victor Zelentsov.

In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 37/38 Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov (center) and Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy (right) pose for pictures Sept. 20 near a wall mural of Russian space icon Sergei Korolev as they completed a final fit check” dress rehearsal of procedures leading to their launch Sept. 26, Kazakh time, from Baikonur in the Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission on the International Space Station. The words on the mural in Russian echo a famous line by Korolev, the road to the stars is open”.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2020e017037 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 63 crewmember Chris Cassidy of NASA (left) responds to questions provided by reporters in a virtual question and answer session April 8 as he prepares for launch. Cassidy and Anatoly Ivanishin (right) and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos 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 29 Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin is seen at a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The mission is set to launch November 14 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Expedition 29 Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov answers a reporters question during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011. The mission is set to launch November 14 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Expedition 29 crew members NASA Flight Engineer Daniel Burbank, far left, Russian Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov, center, and Russian Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin pose for photos at the end of a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011.

jsc2023e066249 (Oct. 15, 2023) --- SpaceX Crew-8 crew members (from left) Michael Barratt from NASA, Alexander Grebenkin from Roscosmos, and Matthew Dominick from NASA, are pictured during a training session at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California.

Expedition 50 crew members NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, left, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, center, and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet pose for a portrait ahead of their final qualification exams, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia.

Expedition 29 backup crew members NASA Flight Engineer Joseph Acaba, far left, Russian Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka, center, and Russian Flight Engineer Sergei Revin are seen at a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011.

jsc2020e017047 - 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.

NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), Roscosmos, along with Russian Search and Recovery Forces, meet to discuss the readiness for the landing of Expedition 53 Commander Randy Bresnik of NASA and Flight Engineers Paolo Nespoli of ESA (European Space Agency) and Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian space agency Roscosmos Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017. Bresnik, Nespoli and Ryazanskiy are returning after 139 days in space where they served as members of the Expedition 52 and 53 crews onboard the International Space Station.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 37/38 Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins of NASA (right) signs in Sept. 3 prior to the start of a round of qualification exams for his launch to the International Space Station later this month. Looking on are his crewmates, Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy (left) and Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov (center). The trio is in the final weeks of training for launch Sept. 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in the Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

JSC2016e105227 (10/14/2015) --- All three members of Expedition 49 to the International Space Station; NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough (left), along with Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov (center) and Andrey Borisenko (right).

jsc2017e101964 (July 22, 2017) --- In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in 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) pose for pictures in front of the first stage engines of the Soyuz booster rocket July 24 as part of their final fit check dress rehearsal. They will launch July 28 aboard the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 65 crew members Russian cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos, left, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, center, and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, pose for a photo during qualification exams, Saturday, March 20, 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.

Expedition 8 Commander and NASA Scienhce Officer Michael Foale, left, smiles as Expedition 8 Soyuz Commander Alexander Kaleri makes a comment to a technician while suiting up, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan prior to their departure for the launch pad with European Space Agency astronaut Pedro Duque. The trio were launched on a Soyuz TMA-3 vehicle to the International Space Station, arriving on Oct. 20.

jsc2017e043854 (April 14, 2017) --- At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 51 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures April 14 in front of the cottage where Yuri Gagarin slept on the eve of his historic launch on April 12, 1961 to become the first human to fly in space. From left to right are backup crewmembers Randy Bresnik of NASA and Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and prime crewmembers Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Jack Fischer of NASA. Yurchikhin and Fischer will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 31 backup crew members Kevin Ford, Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin stand at attention before senior officials for their final qualification test in preparation for flight, Monday, April 23, 2012 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. Expedition 31 prime crew members commander Gennady Padalka, flight engineers Joe Acaba and Sergei Revin practiced similar scenarios nearby in advance of their final approval for launch to the International Space Station, scheduled for May 15, 2012.

jsc2018e085891 (Oct. 3, 2018) --- Expedition 57 crew members Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, left, and Nick Hague of NASA, right, conduct rendezvous and docking procedures on a laptop training simulator as part of their pre-launch preparations, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Ovchinin and Hague are scheduled to launch on Oct. 11 onboard the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.

JSC2008-E-117656 (28 Aug. 2008) --- Attired in Russian Sokol launch and entry suits, NASA astronaut Michael Fincke (right), Expedition 18 commander; Russian Federal Space Agency cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov (center), flight engineer; and American spaceflight participant Richard Garriott take a break from training in Star City, Russia to pose for a portrait. Fincke, Lonchakov and Garriott are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station in a Soyuz spacecraft in October.

At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 50-51 backup crewmembers Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left) and Jack Fischer of NASA (right) share a light-hearted moment as they review flight plans Nov. 10 as part of preflight training. They are backups to the prime crewmembers, Peggy Whitson of NASA, Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency, who 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

jsc2017e043067 (April 13, 2017) --- At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 51 crewmembers Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Jack Fischer of NASA (right) practice rendezvous techniques on a laptop simulator April 13 in preparation for their launch. Yurchikhin and Fischer will liftoff April 20 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

At the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 35/36 Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin (left), Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov (center) and Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy of NASA (right) pose for pictures March 23 in front of the ISS Progress 51 cargo ship that is being prepared for launch to the International Space Station in late April and which will be greeted by the trio and three other crewmates. Cassidy, Vinogradov and Misurkin are in the final days of training for their launch March 29, Kazakh time, to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2017e134972 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 54-55 prime crewmembers Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, left), Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Scott Tingle of NASA (right) pose for pictures Nov. 28 as part of the crews final qualification exam activities. They will launch Dec. 17 on their Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

From left behind glass, Expedition 38 prime crew members, Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and, Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA, are joined with Expedition 38 backup crew members, Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, Max Suraev of Roscosmos, and Reid Wiseman of NASA during the State Commission meeting held to approve the Soyuz launch of the crew for a six month mission aboard the International Space Station, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

JSC2013-E-013365 (February 2013) --- Taking a break from a training schedule that will lead them up to a March 2013 tour aboard the International Space Station are (from left) Expedition 35/36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy of NASA, Expedition 35 Soyuz Commander and Expedition 36 Commander Pavel Vinogradov of Roscosmos and Expedition 35/36 Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos.

jsc2017e096667 (July 17, 2017) --- In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 52-53 backup crewmembers Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, left), Alexander Misurkin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Mark Vande Hei of NASA (right) pose for pictures in front of the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft July 17 as part of their fit check dress rehearsal activities. The trio is serving as backups for Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency, Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos and Randy Bresnik of NASA, who will launch July 28 on the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station.

jsc2020e016985 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 63 crewmembers Ivan Vagner (left) and Anatoly Ivanishin (center) of Roscosmos and Chris Cassidy (right) of NASA pose for pictures April 3 in front of their Soyuz spacecraft as part of their pre-launch activities. They will launch April 9 on the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft from Baikonur on April 9 for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...Courtesy/Roscosmos.

At the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 35/36 Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov (left) and Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy of NASA (right) discuss the ISS Progress 51 cargo ship in front of them March 23 that is being prepared for launch to the International Space Station in late April and which will be greeted by the trio and three other crewmates. Cassidy, Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin are in the final days of training for their launch March 29, Kazakh time, to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2017e138125 - At the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 54-55 prime crewmembers Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, left), Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Scott Tingle of NASA (right) display souvenir launch keys) during traditional pre-flight ceremonies Dec. 13. They will launch Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft for a five month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, backup Expedition 36/37 crewmembers Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin (center) and Rick Mastracchio of NASA (right) pose for pictures May 6 during qualification exams in support of the prime crewmembers preparing for launch to the International Space Station. 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

jsc2018e025593 - 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.

jsc2018e025590 - In the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 55 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures around a Soyuz spacecraft seat mockup 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 Ricky Arnold of NASA, Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos 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 31 Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka lies in a chair to have his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked in preparation for his launch onboard the Soyuz TMA-04M on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Soyuz spacecraft with Padalka, Flight Engineer Sergei Revin and Flight Engineer Joe Acaba onboard, launched at 9:01 a.m. Kazakhstan time on Tuesday, May 15.

Expedition 39 primary crew flight engineer Steve Swanson of NASA, Soyuz commander Aleksander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, flight engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and Expedition 39 backup crew Barry Wilmore of NASA, Alexander Samokutyaev of Roscosmos, and Elena Serova of Roscosmos are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during the final press conference be Monday, March 24, 2014, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The mission to the International Space Station is set to launch March 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Expedition 58 backup crew member, Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos, right, speaks during a press conference, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for Dec. 3 and will carry Expedition 58 prime crew members, Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, Flight Engineer Anne McClain of NASA, and Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) into orbit to begin their six and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 19 Flight Engineer Michael R. Barratt, left, and backup commander Jeffrey Williams are seen in quarantine behind glass during a press conference on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Expedition 65 Russian cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov performs the traditional door signing at the Cosmonaut Hotel prior to departing the hotel for launch on a Soyuz rocket with fellow crewmates Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, Friday, April 9, 2021, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will sent the trio on a mission to the International Space Station.

Backup Expedition 19 flight engineer Maxim Suraev, left, backup commander Jeffrey Williams, center, and backup spaceflight participant Esther Dyson participate in training at the Cosmonaut Hotel, Saturday, March 21, 2009 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. (

jsc2018e097292 - In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 backup crewmembers Drew Morgan of NASA (left), Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (center) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right) pose for pictures Nov. 20 in front of the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft during a vehicle fit check. They are the backups to prime crewmembers 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 for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Technicians work on the Russian Sokol suit 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 31 NASA backup crew member Kevin Ford signs for his International Space Station Russian segment event 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 Oleg Novitskiy (left) and Evgeny Tarelkin look on.

12-37-47-2:At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left) and NASA Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman (right) look at pictures of their families on a smartphone May 16 prior to a dress rehearsal fit check” in their Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft. Suraev, Wiseman and Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency will launch from Baikonur on May 29, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, right, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov 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.

Expedition 55 flight engineer Ricky Arnold of NASA, left, Soyuz Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, center, and flight engineer Drew Feustel of NASA, right, pose for a picture at the conclusion of a press conference, Tuesday, March 20, 2018 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Arnold, Artemyev, and Feustel are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft on Wednesday, March, 21.

The crew of the shuttle Atlantis, from left, commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley and mission specialists Sandy Mangus and Rex Welhiem address a news conference as the shuttle moves to Launch Pad 39A during rollout at the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, May 31, 2011, in Florida. ( NASA Photo / Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool ).

Expedition 55 flight engineer Ricky Arnold answers a question during a press conference, Tuesday, March 20, 2018 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Arnold, Soyuz Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, and flight engineer Drew Feustel of NASA are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft on Wednesday, March, 21.

Expedition 65 crew member Mark Vande Hei of NASA signs in for Soyuz qualification exams while crew mates Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, left, and Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos look on, 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.

jsc2019e051807 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, the next crew to launch to the International Space Station posed for pictures Aug. 29 during their final qualification exams for flight. From left to right are United Arab Emirates spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, and Expedition 61 crewmembers Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and Jessica Meir of NASA. They will launch Sept. 25 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft...NASA/Beth Weissinger.

Expedition 61 cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos is seen during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Skripochka, Expedition 61 astronaut Jessica Meir of NASA and spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates will launch September 25th on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the International Space Station.

Expedition 35 Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov is seen talking to family members after donning his Russian Sokol suit in preparation for his launch aboard the Soyuz rocket, Thursday, March 28, 2013, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send Vinogradov, Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy and Russian Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin on a five and a half-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 55 flight engineer Drew Feustel of NASA, left, Soyuz Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, center, and flight engineer Ricky Arnold of NASA, right, wave farewell to family and friends as they depart the Cosmonaut Hotel to suit-up for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station, Wednesday, March 21, 2018 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz MS-08 is scheduled for 1:44 p.m. Eastern Time (11:44 p.m. Baikonur time) on March 21 and will send Feustel, Artemyev, and Arnold on a five month mission aboard the International Space Station.

In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, backup spaceflight participant Sultan Al-Neyadi of the United Arab Emirates (left) and backup Expedition 61 crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos (center) and Tom Marshburn of NASA (right) pose for pictures Sept. 11 in front of the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft. They are the backups to the prime crew, spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates and Expedition 61 crewmembers Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and Jessica Meir of NASA, who will launch Sept. 25 on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Behind their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 35-36 Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin (left), Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov (center) and Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy of NASA (right) pose for pictures March 21 by a replica of a Russian Proton rocket as they train for launch to the International Space Station March 29, Kazakh time, in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a 5 ½ month mission. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 36/37 Flight Engineer Karen Nyberg of NASA, left, Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), center, and Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, are seen as they depart the crew 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.

jsc2018e050009 - In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 56 backup crewmembers pose for pictures in front of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft May 20 as part of the first Soyuz fit check dress rehearsal activities. From left to right are Anne McClain of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency, who are backups to the prime crew, Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA, Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency who will launch June 6 on the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft from Baikonur for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Expedition 64 backup crew members NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, left, and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy, center, and Petr Dubrov, right, of Roscosmos practice rendezvous techniques on a laptop simulator, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 64 prime crew members Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos, and Kate Rubins of NASA, 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 39/40 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov (left), Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA (center) and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos listen to instructions from Russian space officials at the start of qualification exams March 4. The trio is preparing for launch to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 26, Kazakh time in their Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft for a six-month mission.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

Expedition 64 crew member Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos signs in for Soyuz qualification exams, as crew mates Kate Rubins of NASA, left and Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos look on, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia.

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) clasp hands in front of a Soyuz simulator Oct. 17, 2013 as they conducted final qualification exams. 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 58 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, reacts during a press conference, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for Dec. 3 and will carry Kononenko, Flight Engineer Anne McClain of NASA, and Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) into orbit to begin their six and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

From Left to Right, Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, backup Soyuz Commander Valery Tokarev and backup Expedition 10 Commander Bill McArthur 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 39 Soyuz commander Aleksandr Skvortsov is seen in quarantine, behind glass, during the final press conference be Monday, March 24, 2014, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The mission to the International Space Station is set to launch March 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

jsc2018e097318 - At the Baikonur Museum in the town of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 backup crewmembers Drew Morgan of NASA (center) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right) examine a model of a Soyuz rocket on the launch pad Nov. 21 in traditional pre-launch activities. They are 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.

jsc2020e017063 - Expedition 63 Preflight - Expedition 63 crewmember Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos signs a door in the Cosmonaut Hotel prior to departing for launch on a Soyuz rocket with Chris Cassidy of NASA, and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, Thursday, April 9, 2020 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The crew is beginning a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 65 backup crew members NASA astronaut Anne McClain, Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, center, and Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, pose for a photo in front of the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft, named after the first human to journey into space, Yuri Gagarin, during a fit check Saturday, March 27, 2021 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The prime crew is scheduled to launch on a Soyuz rocket April 9.

Expedition 37/38 Russian Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy is seen speaking to his family after having his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked ahead of his launch onboard a Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft to the International Space Station, on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send the Expedition 37/38 crewmates on a five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

At the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 49 crewmembers Shane Kimbrough of NASA (left) and Sergey Ryzhikov (center) and Andrey Borisenko (right) of Roscosmos pose for pictures Sept. 9 in front of their Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft during a pre-launch training fit check. Kimbrough, Ryzhikov and Borisenko will launch Sept. 24, Kazakh time on the Soyuz MS-02 vehicle for a five-month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 36/37 Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, right, and Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) are seen during the crew press conference at the Cosmonaut Hotel, Monday, May 27, 2013, in Kazakhstan. Parmitano, Yurchikhin and fellow crew member Karen Nyberg of NASA, were in quarantine and kept 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.

11-45-59:In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 38/39 Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin (center) and Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (right) pose for pictures Nov. 3 in front of the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft following their final fit check dress rehearsal. The Soyuz rockets payload fairing behind them is adorned with the insignia of the Sochi Olympic Organizing Committee . The crewmembers, who will launch Nov. 7, Kazakh time for a six-month mission on the International Space Station, are carrying the Olympic torch to the complex with them for a four-day visit.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 31 NASA backup crew member Kevin Ford signs for his Soyuz vehicle 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 Oleg Novitskiy (far left) and Evgeny Tarelkin look on. Expedition 31 prime crew members commander Gennady Padalka, flight engineers Joe Acaba and Sergei Revin practiced similar scenarios nearby in advance of their final approval for launch to the International Space Station, scheduled for May 15, 2012.

jsc2017e101939 (July 22, 2017) --- From a unique perspective at the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 52-53 backup and prime crewmembers pose for pictures July 22 in the midst of pre-launch training. From left to right are the prime crewmembers, Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency, Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Randy Bresnik of NASA, and the backup crewmembers, Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos and Mark Vande Hei of NASA. 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.

jsc2019e053743 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the next crew to launch to the International Space Station poses for pictures Sept. 20 in front of the cottage in which the iconic Russian space designer, Sergei Korolev, slept in on the eve of Yuri Gagarin's launch April 12, 1961 to become the first human to fly in space. From left to right are spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates and Expedition 61 crewmembers Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and Jessica Meir of NASA, who will launch Sept. 25 on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft for a mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 31 NASA flight engineer Joe Acaba, right, and Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka enter a mockup Soyuz TMA spacecraft in order to perform final qualification tests in preparation for flight, Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. Acaba, Padalka and flight engineer Sergei Revin are set to launch to the International Space Station May 15 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Members of the STS-101 crew take part in Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) activities at SPACEHAB, in Cape Canaveral, Fla., where they are learning about some of the equipment they will be working with on their mission to the International Space Station. Looking over two of the components are (left to right) Mission Specialist Susan Helms, Commander James Halsell, Pilot Scott Horowitz, and Mission Specialists Mary Ellen Weber, Yuri Usachev and Jeffrey Williams. Not shown is Mission Specialist James Voss. The STS-101 crew will be responsible for preparing the Space Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk to perform maintenance on the Space Station and deliver logistics and supplies. This will be the third assembly flight for the Space Station. STS-101 is scheduled to launch no earlier than April 13 from Launch Pad 39A

The 2017 class of astronaut candidates are inside the Saturn V Center at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex near NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The candidates toured center facilities, including the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay; the Launch Control Center, Launch Pad 39B, and the Vehicle Assembly Building. They also toured Boeing's Commercial Crew and Cargo Facility, United Launch Alliance's Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and SpaceX's Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy. The candidates will spend about two years getting to know the space station systems and learning how to spacewalk, speak Russian, control the International Space Station's robotic arm and fly T-38s, before they're eligible to be assigned to a mission.

Expedition 68 Preflight. Expedition 68 cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos has his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked as he and fellow crewmates, Frank Rubio of NASA, and Dmitri Petelin of Roscosmos, right, prepare for their Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft launch, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Rubio, Prokopyev and Petelin launched onboard the Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a mission on the International Space Station.

jsc2018e025551 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 crewmembers Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos (left), Drew Feustel of NASA (center) and Ricky Arnold of NASA (right) share a game of chess March 15 as part of their pre-launch activities. They 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.

1898:At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 41/42 Flight Engineer Elena Serova of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) signs in at the start of final qualification exams September 3 as her crewmates, Alexander Samokutyaev of Roscosmos (left) and Barry Wilmore of NASA (right) look on. 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

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