Astronaut Press Conferences

Images depict astronauts during press conferences and training sessions at the Cosmonaut Hotel, showcasing preparation for space missions with various space agencies.

jsc2017e101941 (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) listen to a training instructor 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 51 prime crew members, Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA, left, and Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos, second left, are seen with Expedition 51 back up crew members, Soyuz Commander Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos, second from right, and Flight Engineer Randy Bresnik of NASA, right, during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. The mission is set to launch April 20 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

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, are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Friday, July 19, 2019 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Morgan, Skvortsov, and Parmitano 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.

jsc2017e101941 (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) listen to a training instructor 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.

jsc2020e016953 - 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 practice rendezvous techniques on a laptop simulator April 1 as they prepare for launch. They 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 41 Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA, left, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos are seen while they wait to have their Russian Sokol suits pressure checked in preparation for their launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, at the Baiknour Cosmodrome, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for the early hours of Sept. 26 (Kazakhstan time) and will carry Wilmore, Samokutyaev, and Serova into orbit to begin their five and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 41 prime crew members Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA, far left, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), second left, and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos, center, are seen with Expedition 41 back up crew members, Flight Engineer Scott Kelly of NASA, third right, Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka of Roscosmos, second right, and Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos, right, during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. The prime crew is set to launch to the International Space Station on Sept. 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

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

19-11-18-35-2:At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 39/40 Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos; center) and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos (right) rehearse rendezvous procedures on a laptop simulator March 19. Swanson, Skvortsov and Artemyev are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station March 26, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft for a six-month mission.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 70 Preflight. Expedition 70 Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, right, and Oleg Kononenko, center, along with NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, visit with families shortly before departing for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station, Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The launch will send Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub on a mission to the International Space Station.

JSC2009-E-049922 (February 2009) --- NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams (right), Expedition 21 flight engineer and Expedition 22 commander; cosmonaut Maxim Suraev (center), Expedition 21/22 flight engineer; and NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer, Expedition 22/23 flight engineer, take a break from training in Star City, Russia to pose for a portrait.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 49-50 prime crewmembers Shane Kimbrough of NASA (left) and Andrey Borisenko (center) and Sergey Ryzhikov (right) of Roscosmos respond to reporters questions Aug. 30 at the start of two days of final qualification exams. The trio is preparing for launch on Sept. 24 (Kazakh time) on their Soyuz MS-02 vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a five-month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

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

Expedition 43 NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, seated left, Russian Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, center, and Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), work on Soyuz training, Saturday, March 21, 2015 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Kelly, Padalka, and Kornienko 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 (March 27 Eastern time.) As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

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, are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Friday, July 19, 2019 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Morgan, Skvortsov, and Parmitano 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 43 NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, left, Russian Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, center, and Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) are seen shortly after having donned their Russian sokol suits 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 64 crew members Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos, left, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, center, and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, pose for a photo during Soyuz qualification exams, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia, in advance of their scheduled launch October 14 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

Expedition 50 crew members NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, left, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, center, and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet are seen ahead of their Soyuz qualification exams, Monday, Oct. 24, 2016, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia.

jsc2020e017079 - Expedition 63 Preflight - Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA, left, Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, center, and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos don their Sokol suits a few hours ahead of their 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 Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, left, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, center, and Russian cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov prepare their Russian Sokol suits for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station Friday, April 9, 2021 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket sent the trio on a mission to the International Space Station.

Expedition 65 backup crewmember Anne McClain of NASA takes a selfie with prime crewmember NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei as both room and backup crews gather for a group photo ahead of the prime crews launch to the International Space Station Friday, April 9, 2021 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Back row, Expedition 65 backup crewmembers Anne McClain, left, Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov, center, and Oleg Artemyev. Front Row Expedition 65 prime crewmembers NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, left, Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov. Launch of the Soyuz rocket sent the trio on a mission to the International Space Station.

Expedition 68 Press Conference. Expedition 68 astronaut Frank Rubio of NASA, left, and cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin of Roscosmos, right, are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The trio are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft on Sept. 21.

Expedition 58 Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques 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 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, center. 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.

jsc2017e137334 - At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, 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) practice rendezvous and docking techniques on a laptop computer simulator Dec. 11 as part of their pre-launch training. They 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.

jsc2018e095175 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 58 crewmembers Anne McClain of NASA (left), Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (center) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (right) report to Russian space officials Nov. 14 for their final day of qualification exams. They 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.

jsc2017e096678 (July 17, 2017) --- In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 52-53 crewmembers Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left), Randy Bresnik of NASA (center) and Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency (right) pose for pictures with their Russian Sokol launch and entry suits July 17 during fit check dress rehearsal activities. The trio will launch July 28 on the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station.

Expedition 31 NASA flight engineer Joe Acaba, left, Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and flight engineer Sergei Revin, third from left, stand at attention before senior officials for their final qualification test in preparation for flight, Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. Acaba, Padalka and Revin are set to launch to the International Space Station May 15 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Expedition 51 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos, left, and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA, right, are seen as they depart building 254 a few hours ahead of their launch, Thursday, April 20, 2017, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Yurchikhin and Fischer launched in their Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft to the International Space Station to begin a four and a half month mission.

At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 50-51 backup crewmembers Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency (left), Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Jack Fischer of NASA (right) review flight plans with trainers Nov. 10 as part of preflight activities. 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

Expedition 64 crew members NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, left, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, center, and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos arrive for Soyuz qualification exams Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia, in advance of their scheduled launch October 14 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

Expedition 59 astronaut Nick Hague and Christina Koch of NASA, seated, make photograph with Expedition 59 backup crewmembers Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, left, and Drew Morgan of NASA during Sokol suit pressure checks prior to launch on a Soyuz rocket with Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, 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.

jsc2017e108519 (June 30, 2017) --- Expedition 53-54 crew members (from left) NASA astronaut Joe Acaba, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei.

Expedition 51 back up crew member, Soyuz Commander Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos, left, answers a question during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. He is seen with Expedition 51 back up crew mate Randy Bresnik of NASA. The Expedition 51 prime crew is set to launch April 20 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

jsc2017e134969 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, 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) answer reporters questions Nov. 28 as part of their final qualification exam activities. They are serving as backups to the prime crew, Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), who will launch Dec. 17 on their Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

jsc2020e036117 - Exp-64 Back Up Crew - GCTC Portrait - Mark Vande Hei, Oleg Novitskiy, Petr Dubrov

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 38/39 Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA (right) signs in for the start of flight qualifications exam simulations Oct. 15, 2013 as his crewmates, Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left) and Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin (center) look on. Also on hand was Expedition 39 Lead Flight Director Royce Renfrew of NASA (far right). Tyurin, Wakata and Mastracchio are 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

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

jsc2018e085897 (Oct. 3, 2018) --- Expedition 57 crew members Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, left, and Nick Hague of NASA, right, review training documents with a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center instructor as they prepare for their upcoming launch, 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.

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 (center) of the European Space Agency are seen 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) 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.

nhq2017070600114 (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.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 49-50 backup crewmembers Mark Vande Hei of NASA (left) and Alexander Misurkin (center) and Nikolai Tikhonov (right) of Roscosmos answer reporters questions Aug. 30 at the start of final qualification exams. They are serving as backups to prime crewmembers Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Andrey Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos who will launch on Sept. 24 (Kazakh time) on their Soyuz MS-02 vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a five-month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

17-11-28-20-2:(17 Sept. 2014) --- At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 41/42 backup crewmembers Scott Kelly of NASA (left), Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), center, and Gennady Padalka of Roscosmos brush up on rendezvous and docking skills Sept. 17 on a laptop computer simulator. The three are backups to Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos who are scheduled to 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. Kelly and Kornienko will launch in March 2015 to spend a full year on the station.

1811:At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 41/42 backup crewmembers Scott Kelly of NASA (left), Gennady Padalka of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos (right) pose for pictures in front of a Soyuz simulator September 3 as they began final qualification exams. They are the backups to NASAs Barry Wilmore and Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of Roscosmos, who will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan September 26, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. Kelly and Kornienko will launch next March to spend a full year in space.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

Expedition 38 Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, left, Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and, Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA, right, are seen behind glass, while in quarantine, 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. An Olympic torch that will be launched with the crew for a four-day visit to the station is seen on the left. The torch will return to Earth with another trio of station residents on Nov. 11 and will be part of the torch relay that ends with the lighting of the flame at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi, Russia Feb. 7 to mark the opening of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Expedition 58 prime crew members, left to right, Flight Engineer Anne McClain of NASA, Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) pose for a photo at the conclusion of 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, McClain, and Saint-Jacques into orbit to begin their six and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

The prime and backup crews for the Oct. 18 launch of a Soyuz TMA-3 vehicle to the International Space Station participate in the traditional flag-raising ceremony outside the Cosmonaut Hotel, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003, at the Cosmonaut Hotel, Baikonur, Kazakhstan. From left to right are backup Expedition 8 Soyuz Commander Valery Tokarev, backup European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands, prime European Space Agency astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain, prime Expedition 8 Soyuz Commander Alexander Kaleri, prime Expedition 8 Commander and NASA Science Officer Michael Foale and backup Expedition 8 Commander and NASA Science Officer Bill McArthur.

Expedition 49 NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough, left, Russian cosmonaut Sergei Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, center, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos answer questions from the press outside the Soyuz simulator ahead of their Soyuz qualification exams, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 36/37 Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency signs in for the start of final qualification training April 30 as his crewmates, NASA Flight Engineer Karen Nyberg (left, partially obscured) and Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin (right), look on. The three crewmembers are training for their launch May 29, Kazakh time, in their Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 34/35 Flight Engineer Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency signs in for the second of two days of flight qualification exams Nov. 28, 2012. He and his crewmates are preparing for launch Dec. 19 to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard the Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft. Looking on behind Hadfield are NASA Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn (left) and Soyuz Commander Roman Romanenko (right).NASA/Stephanie Stoll

The crew of Expedition 27 Russian Flight Engineer Andrey Borisenko, sitting far left, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev and NASA Flight Engineer Ron Garan, sitting far right, are seen after having their Russian Sokol suits prepared for launch on the morning of Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Russian backup crew members Anatoly Ivanishin, far left, and Anton Shkaplerov are seen standing behind the prime crew.

Expedition 22 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov, right, answers a reporter's question as Flight Engineer Timothy J. Creamer looks on during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Saturday, Dec., 19, 2009. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 22 NASA Flight Engineer Timothy J. Creamer of the U.S., Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov of Russia and Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi of Japan, is scheduled for Monday, Dec., 21, 2009 at 3:52a.m. Kazakhstan time.

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

jsc2018e010870 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 crewmembers Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos (left) and Drew Feustel of NASA (right) wave to photographers March 5 during the crews first vehicle fit check activities. Along with Ricky Arnold of NASA, they will launch March 21 in the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft from Baikonur for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Soyuz Commander Roman Romanenko, right, and NASA Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn have a word during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel, on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for December 19 and will send Marshburn, Romanenko and Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency on a five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

#3198 - (30 October 2014) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 42/43 backup crewmember Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency signs in for the first of two days of qualification exams October 30 as his crewmates, Kjell Lindgren of NASA and Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos look on. They are the backups to the prime crew --- Terry Virts of NASA, Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency --- who are in the final stages of training for launch November 24, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

jsc2018e094962 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 58 crewmembers Anne McClain of NASA (foreground), Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (center) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (right) report for their qualification exams Nov. 13. They 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.

jsc2018e025550 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 crewmembers Ricky Arnold of NASA (second from left), Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos (second from right) and Drew Feustel of NASA (right) listen to training instructors 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.

Expedition 35 Russian Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin 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 Misurkin, Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov and NASA Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy on a five and a half-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

nhq2017070600112 (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.

At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 backup crewmembers Drew Morgan of NASA (left), Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (center) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right) rehearse rendezvous and docking techniques on a laptop computer simulator March 7 as they conduct pre-launch preparations. They are the backups to the prime crewmembers, Christina Koch of NASA, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Nick Hague of NASA, who 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.

In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 47-48 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures March 4 during pre-launch training. In the front row in their Russian Sokol launch and entry suits are prime crewmembers Jeff Williams of NASA (left) and Alexey Ovchinin (center) and Oleg Skripochka (right) of Roscosmos. In the back row in flight suits are backup crewmembers Shane Kimbrough of NASA (left) and Sergey Ryzhikov (center) and Andre Borisenko (right) of Roscosmos. Williams, Ovchinin and Skripochka will launch March 19, Kazakh time, for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.Courtesy of Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

jsc2019e051819 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, the backups to the next crew to launch to the International Space Station report for duty Aug. 29 during the first day of crew qualification exams. From left to right are backup spaceflight participant Sultan Al-Neyadi of the United Arab Emirates, Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos and Tom Marshburn of NASA. 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 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft...NASA/Beth Weissinger.

0460:At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 40/41 Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA waves to reporters during final qualification exams May 7 as his crewmates, Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left) and Soyuz commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) look on. The trio is preparing for their launch on May 29, Kazakh time, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazkahstan on the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

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.

Expedition 51 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos, right, answers a question during a press conference on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. He is seen with fellow crewmate Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for April 20 and will carry Yurchikhin and Fischer into orbit to begin their four and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

11-44-49-3:At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 backup crewmembers Terry Virts of NASA (left), Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency pose for pictures in front of the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft during a dress rehearsal fit check” May 16. The trio is backing up the prime crew, Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and NASA Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman, who will launch from Baikonur on May 29, Kazakh time, for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

JSC2010-E-185686 (9 Nov. 2010) --- Attired in Russian Sokol launch and entry suits, NASA astronaut Mike Fossum (left), Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin (center) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, all Expedition 26 backup crew members, take a break from training in Star City, Russia to pose for a portrait.

Expedition 57 prime crew members Nick Hague, left, Alexey Ovchinin, second from left, are seen in quarantine with backup crew members Oleg Kononenko, and David Saint-Jacques, right, 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.

JSC2013-E-013369 (February 2013) --- Portrait of Expedition 35 backup crew, attired in their Russian Sokol launch and entry suits. Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov (center) is flanked by backup Flight Engineers Mike Hopkins (left) of NASA and Sergei Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos.

17-11-26-58-2:(17 Sept. 2014) --- At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 41/42 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 listen intently Sept. 17 as instructors review flight procedures for their upcoming launch. 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.

jsc2018e085890 (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.

In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 47-48 crewmembers Jeff Williams of NASA (left) and Alexey Ovchinin (center) and Oleg Skripochka (right) of Roscosmos pose for pictures March 4 in front of their Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft during final pre-launch training. The trio will launch March 19, Kazakh time, for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.Courtesy of Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

jsc2019e038380 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 60 crewmembers Drew Morgan of NASA (left), Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (center) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right) pose for pictures July 5 in front of their Soyuz spacecraft during pre-launch preparations. They will launch July 20 on the Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/GCTC.

ISS018-E-044482 (2 April 2009) --- Crewmembers aboard the International Space Station pose for a group portrait during the ceremony of Changing-of-Command from Expedition 18 to Expedition 19 in the Harmony node. Pictured on the front row are NASA astronaut Michael Fincke (right), Expedition 18 commander; cosmonaut Gennady Padalka (center), Expedition 19 commander; and NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, Expedition 19 flight engineer. Pictured on the back row are cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov (left), Expedition 18 flight engineer; and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, Expedition 18/19 flight engineer.

jsc2018e081041 (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 to officials Sept. 13 for the first day of their Soyuz qualification exams. They 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/Elizabeth Weissinger.

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.

jsc2020e017073 - Expedition 63 Preflight - Expedition 63 crewmembers Anatoly Ivanishin, left, and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos don their Sokol suits a few hours ahead of their launch on a Soyuz rocket with Chris Cassidy of NASA, 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 68 Preflight. Expedition 68 crew members Dmitri Petelin of Roscosmos, top, Frank Rubio of NASA, and Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos, bottom, wave farewell prior to boarding the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft for launch, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Rubio, Prokopyev and Petelin, will launch onboard the Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a mission on the International Space Station.

jsc2018e094959 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 58 backup crewmembers Drew Morgan of NASA (left), Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (center) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right) meet with reporters Nov. 13 during qualification exam training. They are the backups to the prime crew, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, Anne McClain of NASA 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/Sarah Volkman.

Expedition 65 NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, left, Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov, right, are seen in quarantine, behind glass, during a press conference, Thursday, April 8, 2021 a the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The trio are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft on April 9.

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

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 27 Flight Engineer Andrey Borisenko (left), Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev (center) and NASA Flight Engineer Ron Garan walk past their Soyuz booster during dress rehearsal activities March 22, 2011. The booster, like the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft in which they will launch, is adorned with the name Gagarin” and the likeness of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space. The Soyuz TMA-21 is scheduled for launch on April 5 (April 4, U.S. time), just one week shy of the 50th anniversary of Gagarin’s historic journey into space from the same launch pad that the Expedition 27 crew will begin their mission from.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome Museum in Kazakhstan, Expedition 57 crewmembers Nick Hague of NASA (left) and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos view space artifacts Oct. 6 as part of a traditional pre-launch tour. Behind them is backup crewmember David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency. Hague and Ovchinin will launch Oct. 11 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

0551:At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 40/41 Soyuz commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) shares a light moment during final qualification exams May 7 with his crewmates, Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left) and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA (right). The trio is preparing for their launch on May 29, Kazakh time, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazkahstan on the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Stephanie Stoll

Expedition 56 Soyuz Commander Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos, center, answers a question along with flight engineer Serena Auñón-Chancellor of NASA, left, and flight engineer Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency), right, during a press conference, 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.

Expedition 65 prime crew members NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, left, and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy, center, and Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos, pose for a photo after a tree planting ceremony that is part of traditional pre-launch activities, Saturday, April 3, 2021, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The trio are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft on April 9.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 46-47 backup crewmember Kate Rubins of NASA signs in Nov. 19 for the start of qualification exams as her crewmates, Anatoly Ivanishin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency look on. They are the backups to the prime crewmembers, Yuri Malenchenko of Roscosmos, Tim Kopra of NASA and Tim Peake of the European Space Agency, who 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

In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 46-47 crewmembers Tim Peake of the European Space Agency (left), Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Tim Kopra of NASA (right) posed for pictures Dec. 10 in front of the first stage of the Soyuz booster rocket during final pre-launch training. Kopra, Peake and Malenchenko will launch Dec. 15 on the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 32/33 Flight Engineer Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko (center) and NASA Flight Engineer Sunita Williams (right) walk by the upper stage of their Soyuz booster rocket in the Integration Facility July 3, 2012 as they completed a suited fit check” of the Soyuz TMA-05M spacecraft that they will launch in July 15 to the International Space Station.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e051935 - In the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 56 crewmember Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA (left) signs a flag bearing the insignia of the Soyuz MS-09 mission May 31 as crewmate Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos (right) assists. Aunon-Chancellor, Prokopyev and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency will launch June 6 in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. ..NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Expedition 65 backup crew member NASA astronaut Anne McClain signs in for Soyuz qualification exams while Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, left, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos look on, 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.

JSC2008-E-117663 (28 Aug. 2008) --- Attired in Russian Sokol launch and entry suits, cosmonaut Gennady Padalka (left), Expedition 19/20 commander, and NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, flight engineer, take a break from training in Star City, Russia to pose for a portrait.

Expedition 54 flight engineer Norishige Kanai of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) speaks with family and friends after having his Russian Sokol suits pressure checked ahead of the Soyuz launch to the International Space Station Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send Kanai, Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, and flight engineer Scott Tingle of NASA on a five month mission aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 35 NASA Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy, third from right, is helped into his Russian Sokol suit as he and fellow crewmates, Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov, and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin prepare for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station, Thursday, March 28, 2013, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send Cassidy, Vinogradov and Misurkin on a five and a half month mission aboard the International Space Station.

jsc2020e032667 - Exp-64 Crew Photo - Prime; Kate Rubins, Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov from GCTC

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 31/32 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures during their suited fit check” dress rehearsal of launch day activities in advance of a May 15 launching in the Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft to the International Space Station. Seated from left to right in their Sokol” launch and entry suits are Russian Flight Engineer Sergei Revin, Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba. Standing behind them from left to right are backup crewmembers Evgeny Tarelkin, Oleg Novitskiy and Kevin Ford.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 11 Commander Sergei Krikalev, center, Flight Engineer and NASA Science Officer John Phillips, left, and European Space Agency Astronaut Roberto Vittori, of Italy, are seen as technicians work on their Russian Sokol suits prior to launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Friday, April 15, 2005 for a two-day trip to the International Space Station.

jsc2018e098096 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome Museum in Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 crewmembers Anne McClain of NASA (left), Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (center) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency hold launch keys” presented to them Nov. 29 during a tour of the facility. An actual key is used on launch day to begin the engine ignition sequence for the Soyuz booster rocket’s liftoff. They will launch Dec. 3 in 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.

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 27 Flight Engineer Ron Garan of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev (center) and Flight Engineer Andrey Borisenko suit up for a dress rehearsal of their launch activities and checkout of their Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft March 22, 2011. The Soyuz, which has been dubbed Gagarin” and which bears the likeness of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, is scheduled for launch on April 5 (April 4, U.S. time), just one week shy of the 50th anniversary of Gagarin’s historic journey into space from the same launch pad that the Expedition 27 crew will begin their mission from.NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 43 prime and backup crews are seen in quarantine behind glass, from left, Expedition 43 prime crew members; NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, and Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Expedition 43 backup crew members; NASA Astronaut Jeff Williams, Russian cosmonauts Alexei Ovchinin, and Sergei Volkov 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.

jsc2017e114471 (Aug. 28, 2017) --- At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 53-54 backup crewmembers pose for pictures in from of the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft during pre-launch training activities Aug. 28. Shannon Walker of NASA (left), Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos (center) and Scott tingle of NASA (right) are serving as backups to the prime crewmembers, Joe Acaba and Mark Vande Hei of NASA and Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos, who will launch Sept. 13 on the Soyuz MS-06 for a five and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

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