jsc2018e098093 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome Museum in Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 crewmember Anne McClain of NASA signs a wall mural Nov. 29 as part of traditional pre-launch activities. McClain, David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency and Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos 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.

jsc2019e052903 - At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the backup crewmembers for the next launch to the International Space Station meet with local Kazakh officials Sept. 12 as part of traditional pre-launch activities. On the 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 Expedition 61 crew, Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and Jessica Meir of NASA and spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates, who will launch Sept. 25 on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft for a mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

2014-09-18-12-03-22 At the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft is rotated to a horizontal position for its encapsulation in the upper stage of the Soyuz booster rocket Sept. 18 that will propel it into orbit. The Soyuz will arrive at its launch pad on Sept. 23 for final pre-launch preparations. Expedition 41/42 Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos will launch aboard the Soyuz Sept. 26, Kazakh time, to begin 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. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 58 Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) puts his hands up to the glass, to meet his sons while in quarantine, after having his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked in preparation for his launch aboard the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for the same day and will carry Saint-Jacques, Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Anne McClain of NASA, and into orbit to begin their six and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Victor Zelentsov)

jsc2018e025554 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 crewmember Ricky Arnold of NASA tries his hand at billiards March 15 as part of pre-launch activities. Arnold, Drew Feustel of NASA and Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos 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.

Flying from their training base in Star City, Russia to their launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 39/40 Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA (left) and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos; right) apply a sticker bearing their mission insignia to the wall of their plane March 13. Swanson, Artemyev and Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (hidden) are preparing for their launch to the International Space Station March 26, Kazakh time, in their Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft for a six-month mission. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2017e100895 (July 18, 2017) --- In the town of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 52-53 backup crewmembers Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, second from left), Alexander Misurkin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, second from right) and Mark Vande Hei of NASA (far right) enjoy a traditional cup of tea in a mockup of a Russian “yurt” or tent in Baikonur’s space museum July 18 as part of traditional pre-launch ceremonies. They are serving as backups to Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos, Randy Bresnik of NASA and Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency, who will launch July 28 on the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a five-month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e051936 - Outside the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 56 prime and backup crewmembers walk to a flight article of a Russian Buran space shuttle May 31 that is on display at the launch site as part of their pre-launch activities. Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA, Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos 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.

13-04-23: At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and NASA Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman (right) pose for pictures in their Russian Sokol launch and entry suits in front of their Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft during a dress rehearsal “fit check” May 16. The trio will launch from Baikonur on May 29, Kazakh time, for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e050834 - 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) pose for pictures May 29 in front of a model of a Soyuz rocket. 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.

jsc2018e098089 - In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 crewmembers Anne McClain of NASA (left), Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (center) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (right) pose for pictures Nov. 29 in front of the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft during a final vehicle fit check. 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.

jsc2019e053729 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates (left) and Expedition 61 crewmembers Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos (center) and Jessica Meir of NASA (right) pose for pictures Sept. 18 as part of pre-launch activities. They will launch Sept. 25 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft for a mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e050819 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 56 backup crewmembers Anne McClain of NASA (left), Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (center) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (right) review training documents with a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center instructor May 29 as they prepare for the upcoming launch of the prime crewmembers, 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.

jsc2018e010881 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 55 backup and prime crewmembers pose for pictures March 5 as part of the crew’s first vehicle fit check activities. In the front row are the backup crewmembers, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (left) and Nick Hague of NASA (right). In the back row are the prime crewmembers, Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos (left), Drew Feustel of NASA (center) and Ricky Arnold of NASA (right), who 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.

jsc2018e097288 - In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the upper stage of a Soyuz-FG booster is prepared for launch Nov. 20 to carry the Expedition 58 crew to orbit. Anne McClain of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency 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.

13-29-34: In the Baikonur Cosmodrome Museum in Kazakhstan, Expedition 39/40 Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA signs a banner March 21 bearing the insignia of the 2014 Winter Olympics that concluded in February in Sochi, Russia as he and his crewmates prepare for launch to the International Space Station. Swanson, Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos are wrapping up training for their launch to the station March 26, Kazakh time, on the Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the orbital laboratory. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 58 crew, from 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) speak to family and friends after having their Russian Sokol suits pressure checked in preparation for their launch aboard the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for the same day and will carry Kononenko, Saint-Jacques, and McClain into orbit to begin their six and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Victor Zelentsov)

In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 38/39 Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA conducts a fit check dress rehearsal October 28 inside the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft. Mastracchio, Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin and Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will launch Nov. 7, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz from Baikonur to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2022e072268 (Sept. 7, 2022) --- At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio (left), Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev (center) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin (right) complete training preparations in front of their Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft as they prepare for launch Sept. 21 for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. The Soyuz spacecraft bears the name of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the “father” of cosmonautics. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

JSC2008-E-032796 (8 April 2008) --- At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft lifted off into a cloudless sky April 8, 2008 at 5:16 p.m. Baikonur time to carry Expedition 17 Commander Sergei Volkov, Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko and South Korean spaceflight participant So-yeon Yi to the International Space Station and a docking on April 10. Volkov and Kononenko will spend six months on the station while Yi will spend nine days on the complex under a commercial agreement between South Korea and the Russian Federal Space Agency. Photo Credit: NASA /Victor Zelentsov

11-47-48: At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 backup crewmembers Terry Virts of NASA (left) and Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency (right) try their hand at a game of billiards May 21 as they head into the homestretch of pre-launch training. Virts, Cristoforetti and Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) are backing up the prime crew, Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of Roscosmos and NASA Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman, who will launch on May 29, Kazakh time, on the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2019e013411 - In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmembers Christina Koch of NASA (left), Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (center) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) pose for pictures in front of the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft March 10 during final pre-launch inspections. They will launch March 14, U.S. time, in 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.

15-16-18-53: Striding off the aircraft that carried them to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch training, Expedition 40/41 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and NASA Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman (right) prepare to greet Russian space officials in Baikonur May 15 who gathered for their arrival. Behind them is former cosmonaut Valery Korzun, now the Deputy Head of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. The trio will launch May 29, Kazakh time, in their Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft from Baikonur for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 46-47 crewmember Tim Kopra of NASA took a turn on a tilt table to test his vestibular system Dec. 9 as part of his pre-launch training. Kopra, Tim Peake of the European Space Agency and Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency will launch Dec. 15 on their Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

2014-09-21-10-36-51-4 In the Baikonur Cosmodrome Integration Facility in Kazakhstan, Expedition 41/42 Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA poses for pictures Sept. 21 as he enters the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft for a final inspection. Wilmore, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos will launch on Sept. 26, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz to begin a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. Serova will become the fourth Russian woman to fly in space and the first to live and work on the station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e084490 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 57 crewmembers Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (left) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) pose for pictures in their Russian Sokol launch and entry suits Sept. 26 as part of pre-launch training activities. They will launch Oct. 11 in the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2017e095961 (July 16, 2017) --- Aboard a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center aircraft en route to their launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 52-53 Flight Engineer Randy Bresnik of NASA (right), with the help of crewmate Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left), affixes stickers bearing the Soyuz and Expedition 53 mission insignias to the wall of the plane’s cabin July 16 in a traditional ceremony. Bresnik, Ryazanskiy and Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency will launch July 28 from Baikonur on the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 49 prime and backup crewmembers participate in a traditional ceremony Sept. 10 to raise the flags of the U.S., Russia and Kazakhstan. Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos will launch on Sept. 24, Kazakh time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-02 vehicle for a five-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e025592 - In the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 crewmember Ricky Arnold of NASA signs a wall mural depicting a Soyuz launch March 16 as part of traditional prelaunch activities. Arnold, Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and Drew Feustel of NASA will launch March 21 on the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

13-04-55-2: At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA gets in some exercise May 21 during pre-launch medical tests. Wiseman, Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency will launch on May 29, Kazakh time, on the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e050017 - In the town of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 56 backup crewmembers David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (left), Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (center) and Anne McClain of NASA (right) pose for pictures May 21 at the statue of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly in space during traditional pre-launch activities. They are 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 on the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft from Baikonur for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Christina Koch of NASA (right) waters a tree March 7 originally planted last October by crewmate Alexey Ovchinin (center). Ovchinin and crewmate Nick Hague of NASA (left) launched together last October 11, but their flight was cut short two minutes after launch by an abort triggered by a first-stage booster rocket separation problem. They are set to launch again March 14, U.S. time, this time with Koch 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.

Nespoli signs a Soyuz launch picture in the Korolev Museum in the Baikonur Cosmodrome. -NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e050002 - In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 56 crewmember Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency poses for pictures May 20 as he prepares to board the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft for the first fit check dress rehearsal activities. Gerst, Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA and Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos 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.

jsc2018e010883 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 crewmembers Ricky Arnold of NASA (left), Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos (center) and Drew Feustel of NASA (right) pose for pictures with their Russian Sokol launch and entry suits March 5 as part of the crew’s first vehicle fit check activities. 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.

Expedition 49 backup crewmember Mark Vande Hei of NASA takes a photo of a model of a Soyuz rocket on its launch pad in a local museum Sept. 10 during a tour of the city of Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Vande Hei and two Russian cosmonauts from Roscosmos are serving as backups to Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, who will launch on Sept. 24, Kazakh time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-02 vehicle for a five-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

17-12-17-17-2: (17 Sept. 2014) --- At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 41 Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA takes a turn in a spinning chair to test his vestibular system Sept. 17 as he and his crewmates prepare for their upcoming launch. Wilmore, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos 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. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2022e072270 (Sept. 7, 2022) --- At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio (left), Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev (center) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin (right) complete training preparations in front of their Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft as they prepare for launch Sept. 21 for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. The Soyuz spacecraft bears the name of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the “father” of cosmonautics. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2018e049988 - Expedition 56 crewmembers Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (top right), Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA (center) and Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos wave to a throng of schoolchildren May 19 upon their arrival at their launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They will launch June 6 on the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Behind their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 38/39 Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left), Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA (center) and Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin (right) pose for pictures Nov. 1 after Mastracchio planted a tree in his name in a ceremonial pre-flight tradition. The trio is preparing for its launch Nov. 7, Kazakh time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e097323 - At the Baikonur Museum in the town of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 backup crewmembers Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (second from left), Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (second from right) and Drew Morgan of NASA (far right) enjoy a traditional Kazakh tea ceremony dressed in native attire Nov. 21 as part of 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.

17-14-33-00: (17 Sept. 2014) --- Behind their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 41/42 prime and backup crew members pose for pictures Sept. 17 during a break from their training. From left to right are backup crew members Scott Kelly of NASA, Gennady Padalka of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos and prime crew members Alexander Samokutyaev of Roscosmos, Elena Serova of Roscosmos and Barry Wilmore of NASA. Wilmore, Serova and Samokutyaev are scheduled tol 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 a year on the station. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

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

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Christina Koch of NASA undergoes a Sokol launch suit pressure check Feb. 27 during pre-launch training. Koch, Nick Hague of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e097299 - In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 crewmembers Anne McClain of NASA (left), Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (center) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (right) pose for pictures Nov. 20 in front of their Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft during a vehicle fit check. They 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.

12-01-15-4: At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency suits up in his Russian Sokol launch and entry suit May 16 for a dress rehearsal “fit check” in the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft. Gerst, Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA will launch from Baikonur on May 29, Kazakh time, for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2019e052904 - In the town of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the backup crewmembers for the next launch to the International Space Station pose for pictures Sept. 12 in front of a statue of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly in space as part of traditional pre-launch activities. Backup spaceflight participant Sultan Al-Neyadi of the United Arab Emirates (left), Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos (center) and Tom Marshburn of NASA (right) are the backups to the prime Expedition 61 crew, Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and Jessica Meir of NASA and spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates, who will launch Sept. 25 on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft for a mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2019e053725 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates (third from left) plants a tree in his name Sept. 18 as part of traditional pre-launch activities. Assisting him is backup spaceflight participant Sultan Al-Neyadi of the United Arab Emirates. Looking on from left to right are backup Expedition 61 crewmembers Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos and Tom Marshburn of NASA and the prime crewmembers, Jessica Meir of NASA and Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos, who along with Almansoori, will launch Sept. 25 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft for a mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Behind the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 38/39 Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency poses for pictures Nov. 1 after planting a tree in his name I a ceremonial pre-flight tradition. Wakata, Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA and Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin are preparing for their launch Nov. 7, Kazakh time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

During a break from training, the Expedition 46-47 prime and backup crewmembers toured the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Dec. 10 and listened to museum curators discuss past Russian space memorabilia. From left to right are prime crewmember Tim Kopra of NASA, backup crewmember Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, prime crewmember Tim Peake of the European Space Agency, backup crewmember Kate Rubins of NASA, prime crewmember Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and backup crewmember Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos. 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

13-15-15-3: At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA (right) pose for pictures in front of the Soyuz booster rocket’s first stage engines May 24 during the final fit check training dress rehearsal. The trio will launch May 29, Kazakh time, on the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e097295 - In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 crewmember Anne McClain of NASA tries on gloves Nov. 20 during a Russian Sokol launch and entry suit pressure and leak check. McClain, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency 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.

2014-09-18-11-35-10 At the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft stands ready for its encapsulation in the upper stage of the Soyuz booster rocket Sept. 18 that will propel it into orbit. The Soyuz will arrive at its launch pad on Sept. 23 for final pre-launch preparations. Expedition 41/42 Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA, Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos will launch aboard the Soyuz Sept. 26, Kazakh time, to begin 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. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 38/39 Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin (center) and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA (right) greet Russian space officials on the tarmac at Baikonur, Kazakhstan October 26 after they arrived on a flight from their training base in Star City, Russia for final pre-launch preparations. Mastracchio, Wakata and Tyurin will launch Nov. 7, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft from Baikonur to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

19-12-18-04: At his Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 39/40 Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA gets in a workout March 19 as he prepares for launch to the International Space Station with his crewmates, Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) on March 26, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft for a six-month mission. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

2014-03-14-12-55-32[1] In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 39/40 Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA undergoes a pressure check for his Russian Sokol launch and entry suit during a “fit check” dress rehearsal March 14 that is part of the crew’s training. Swanson, Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station March 26 (Kazakh time) for the start of a six-month mission. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

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

With backup crewmember Reid Wiseman (right) of NASA looking on, prime Expedition 38/39 Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left) takes a turn at Ping-Pong Nov. 1 at the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Wakata, Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA are preparing for launch Nov. 7, Kazakh time, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e010873 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 55 crewmembers Ricky Arnold of NASA (front row, left), Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos (front row, center) and Drew Feustel of NASA (front row, right) pose for pictures March 5 during the crew’s first vehicle fit check activities. Behind them are the backup crewmembers, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (back row, left) and Nick Hague of NASA (back row, right). Arnold, Artemyev and Feustel 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.

jsc2019e013412 - In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmembers Christina Koch of NASA (left), Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (center) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) pose for pictures in front of the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft March 10 during final pre-launch inspections. They will launch March 14, U.S. time, in the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 backup crewmember Drew Morgan of NASA tests his vestibular system in a rotating chair March 7 as part of his pre-launch activities. Morgan, Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos 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.

jsc2018e050019 - At the Baikonur Museum in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 56 backup crewmembers Anne McClain of NASA (left), David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (center) and Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (right) are shown a bas relief model of the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site during a tour of the museum May 21 as part of traditional pre-launch activities. They are 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 on the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft from Baikonur for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 59 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures March 7 as part of their pre-launch activities. From left to right are the prime crewmembers, Nick Hague of NASA, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Christina Koch of NASA and the backup crewmembers, Drew Morgan of NASA, Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency. Hague, Ovchinin and Koch 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.

jsc2017e095964 (July 16, 2017) --- Expedition 52-53 prime crewmembers Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency (far left), Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left and center) and Randy Bresnik of NASA (left and right) are greeted by Russian space officials after their arrival at their launch site in Baikonur, Kazakhstan July 16 following a flight from their training base in Star City, Russia. Ryazanskiy, Bresnik and Nespoli will launch July 28 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

14-11-05-45: (14 Sept. 2014) --- At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 41/42 prime and backup crew members participate in ceremonies after raising the flags of Russia, the U.S. and Kazakhstan during traditional ceremonies Sept. 14. From left to right are prime crew members Barry Wilmore of NASA, Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Elena Serova of Roscosmos, and backup crew members Scott Kelly of NASA, Gennady Padalka of Roscosmos and and Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos. Wilmore, Samokutyaev and Serova will launch on Sept. 26, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft to begin a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. Serova will become the fourth Russian woman to fly in space. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Nick Hague of NASA undergoes a Sokol launch suit pressure check Feb. 27 during pre-launch training. Hague, Christina Koch of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the prime and backup Expedition 46-47 crewmembers posed for pictures Dec. 10 in front of the first stage of the Soyuz booster rocket during final pre-launch training. From left to right are prime crewmembers Tim Peake of the European Space Agency, Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Tim Kopra of NASA and backup crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. 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

2014-03-15-11-04-32-3[1] At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the flags of Russia, the United States and Kazakhstan fly high March 15 after a flag-raising ceremony that is part of traditional pre-launch activities. Expedition 39/40 Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA, Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station March 26 (Kazakh time) for the start of a six-month mission. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

10-13-43-3: At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and NASA Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman (right) pose for pictures in front of their Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft during a dress rehearsal “fit check” May 16. The trio will launch from Baikonur on May 29, Kazakh time, for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e084638 - During a tour of the city of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 57 backup crewmembers David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency and Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos pay homage to Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly in space, as they laid flowers at his statue during traditional pre-launch ceremonies Sept. 27. They are the backups to the prime crew, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Nick Hague of NASA, who will launch Oct. 11 on the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2018e097317 - In the town of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 backup crewmembers Drew Morgan of NASA (left), Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (center) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right) pay homage at the statue of Sergei Korolev, the iconic Russian space designer Nov. 21, in a traditional ceremony. They are the backups to Anne McClain of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency, who will launch Dec. 3 on the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2019e052902 - At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the prime and backup crewmembers for the next launch to the International Space Station raise the flags of Russia, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan Sept. 12 in a traditional ceremony. Expedition 61 crewmembers Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and Jessica Meir of NASA and spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates will launch Sept. 25 on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft for a mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2018e025596 - In the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 55 prime and backup crewmembers display a flag March 16 bearing the Soyuz MS-08 crew patch insignia during a traditional preflight tour of the museum. From left to right are backup crewmember Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, prime crewmembers Drew Feustel of NASA, Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and Ricky Arnold of NASA, and backup crewmember Nick Hague of NASA. Feustel, Artemyev and Arnold will launch March 21 on the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2017e043078 (April 13, 2017) --- At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 51 crewmembers Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left) and Jack Fischer of NASA (right) pose for pictures after planting a tree in Fischer’s name April 13 as part of traditional pre-launch activities. Fischer and Yurchikhin 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

The Expedition 38/39 backup crewmembers lay flowers in front of a statue of Sergei Korolev, the Russian space icon who supervised Yuri Gagarin’s launch in 1961 to become the first human to fly in space, during a tour of the city of Baikonur, Kazakhstan October 27. Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left), Max Suraev (center) and Reid Wiseman of NASA (right) are understudies to the prime crew, Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin and Rick Mastracchio of NASA, who will launch Nov. 7, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft from Baikonur to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 61 crewmember Jessica Meir of NASA undergoes a pressure and leak check of her Russian Sokol launch and entry suit Sept. 11 for a fit check aboard the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft. Meir, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates and Expedition 61 crewmember Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos 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

At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmembers Nick Hague of NASA (left), Christina Koch of NASA (center) and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (right) take a moment from pre-launch training for a game of chess March 7. They will launch March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

12-16-03-25-2: 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 (right) walk off a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center plane after arriving at the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Sept. 12 for final pre-launch training. The trio will launch from Baikonur on Sept. 26, Kazakh time, in their 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. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2017e115138 (Sept. 7, 2017) --- At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 53-54 backup and prime crewmembers Scott Tingle of NASA (left) and Mark Vande Hei of NASA (right) raise the United States flag Sept. 7 during traditional pre-launch ceremonies. Vande Hei, Joe Acaba of NASa and Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos will launch Sept. 13 on the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft for a five and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

12-19-34-2: In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 39/40 prime and backup crews pose for pictures in front of the first stage engines of the Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft March 21. From left to right are backup crewmembers Barry Wilmore of NASA, Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos and the prime crewmembers, Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA, Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos. Swanson, Skvortsov and Artemyev are wrapping up training for their launch to the International Space Station March 26, Kazakh time, for a six-month mission on the orbital laboratory. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e097315 - In the town of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 58 backup crewmembers Drew Morgan of NASA, Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency lay flowers at the statue of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly in space Nov. 21, in a traditional ceremony. They are the backups to Anne McClain of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency, who will launch Dec. 3 on the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2018e097261 - Aboard a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center aircraft, Expedition 58 crewmembers Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (left), Anne McClain of NASA (center) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (right) affix a Soyuz MS-11 sticker to the wall of the cabin Nov. 19 in a traditional ceremony as they flew to their launch site in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. 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/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2019e013422 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Christina Koch of NASA poses for pictures March 10 in front of a display housing memorabilia from the flight of the first woman to fly in space, Valentina Tereshkova, whose historic mission took place in June 1963. Koch, Nick Hague of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch March 14, U.S. time, in the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

Outside their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 38/39 prime and backup crewmembers participated in the traditional flag-raising ceremony October 27 as they conduct final pre-launch preparations. From left to right, prime Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin and backup Max Suraev raise the Russian flag, prime Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA and backup Reid Wiseman of NASA raise the U.S. flag, prime Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency raises the Japanese flag and backup Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency raises the flag of Kazakhstan. Wakata, Tyurin and Mastracchio will launch Nov. 7, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft from Baikonur to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e084639 - During a tour of the city of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 57 backup crewmembers Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (left) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (right) pose for pictures Sept. 27 at the statue of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly in space, during traditional pre-launch ceremonies. They are the backups to the prime crew, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Nick Hague of NASA, who will launch Oct. 11 on the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

The Expedition 38/39 backup crewmembers pose for pictures in front of a statue of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly in space, during a tour of the city of Baikonur, Kazakhstan October 27. Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left), Max Suraev (center) and Reid Wiseman of NASA (right) are understudies to the prime crew, Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin and Rick Mastracchio of NASA, who will launch Nov. 7, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft from Baikonur to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 59 backup crewmembers Drew Morgan of NASA (left), Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (center) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right) meet with Russian officials Feb. 26 after arriving at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch training following a flight from their training base in Star City, Russia. They are the backups to the prime crew, Nick Hague of NASA, Christina Koch of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, who will launch March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

16-19-20-3: Expedition 40/41 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (left), Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and NASA Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman (right) are greeted by Russian space officials May 15 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan where the crew flew to for final pre-launch training. Just behind the crew is former cosmonaut Valery Korzun, now the Deputy Head of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. Gerst, Suraev and Wiseman will launch May 29, Kazakh time, in their Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft from Baikonur for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2019e011272 - At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 59 prime and backup crewmembers conduct the traditional raising of the flags of Russia, the U.S. and Kazakhstan Feb. 28 as part of their pre-launch training. From left to right raising the Russian flag are Alexander Skvortsov and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, raising the U.S. flag are Nick Hague and Christina Koch of NASA and raising the Kazakh flag are Drew Morgan of NASA and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency. Hague, Ovchinin and Koch will launch March 14, U.S. time, in the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2018e050836 - At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 56 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures May 29 flanking a model of a Soyuz rocket. From left to right are the prime crewmembers, Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos and Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA and their backups, Anne McClain of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency. 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.

jsc2018e097309 - Outside the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 58 prime and backup crewmembers raise the flags of Russia, the United States, Canada and Kazakhstan Nov. 21 in a traditional ceremony. Anne McClain of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency 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.

jsc2018e010871 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 crewmember Ricky Arnold of NASA smiles as he undergoes a leak check March 5 in a Russian Sokol launch and entry suit as part of the crew’s first vehicle fit check activities. Arnold, Drew Feustel of NASA and Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos 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.

jsc2017e101944 (July 22, 2017) --- At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 52-53 crewmember Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency tries his hand at billiards July 22 as his crewmates at the far end of the table, Randy Bresnik of NASA (left) and Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, right) look on. The trio will launch July 28 on the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a five-month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2018e084491 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 57 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures Sept. 26 during pre-launch training activities. From left to right are backup crewmember David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency, prime crewmembers Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Nick Hague of NASA and backup crewmember Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos. Ovchinin and Hague will launch Oct. 11 in the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2018e0500108 - In the town of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 56 backup crewmembers Anne McClain of NASA (left), Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos (center) and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (right), lay flowers and pay tribute at the statue of Sergei Korolev, the Russian space designer icon May 21 during traditional pre-launch activities. They are 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 on the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft from Baikonur for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2018e084635 - At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 57 prime and backup crewmembers raise the flags of Russia, the United States and Kazakhstan Sept. 27 in traditional pre-launch ceremonies. Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Nick Hague of NASA will launch Oct. 11 on the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2018e010866 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 55 crewmember Ricky Arnold of NASA suits up March 5 in a Russian Sokol launch and entry suit as part of the crew’s first vehicle fit check activities. Arnold, Drew Feustel of NASA and Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos 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.

2014-03-15-11-03-34-4[1] At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 39/40 crewmembers raise the flags of Russia, the United States and Kazakhstan March 15 in traditional ceremonies that are part of the crew’s training. From left to right are Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA, and backup crewmembers Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of Roscosmos. Swanson, Skvortsov and Artemyev are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station March 26 (Kazakh time) for the start of a six-month mission. NASA/Victor Zelentsov

19-13-53-14: Assisted by backup crewmember Barry Wilmore of NASA (left), Expedition 39/40 Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA (right) plants a tree bearing his name behind the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan March 19 in a traditional ceremony. Swanson, Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos 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

2014-03-14-13-11-14-2[1] In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in 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 pose for pictures March 14 following a “fit check” dress rehearsal that is part of the crew’s training. Swanson, Skvortsov and Artemyev are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station March 26 (Kazakh time) for the start of a six-month mission. NASA/Victor Zelentsov