S74-24677 (June 1974) --- A close-up view of the descent vehicle of the Soyuz spacecraft training mock-up on display at the Cosmonuat Training Center (Star City) near Moscow. The open hatch reveals the interior arrangement of the middle section of the Soviet spacecraft. The first (fore) section of the Soyuz is called the orbital module; and the third (aft) section is the instrument-assembly module. The joint U.S.-USSR Apollo-Soyuz docking mission in Earth orbit is scheduled for the summer of 1975.

S74-29041 (September 1974) --- The commanders of the American astronaut and Soviet cosmonaut crews for the joint U.S.?USSR Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission compare notes in a Soyuz spacecraft?s orbital module mock-up in Building 35 at the Johnson Space Center during a training and simulation exercise. They are Aleksey A. Leonov, right, and Thomas P. Stafford. The hatchway in the background leads to the Docking Module. The prime crewmen, along with backup crewmen, are training in both the U.S. and USSR for the joint mission scheduled for the summer of 1975.

Astronauts Norman E. Thagard and Bonnie J. Dunbar in cosmonaut space suits in the Training Simulator Facility at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (Star City), near Moscow, Russia. In March 1995, astronaut Thagard is scheduled to be launched in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft with two cosmonauts to begin a three-month tour of duty on the Russian Mir Space Station. Thagard, along with his back-up, astronaut Bonnie J. Dunbar, has been training in Russian since February 1994.

Astronaut Norman E. Thagard in a cosmonaut space suit in the Training Simulator Facility at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (Star City), near Moscow, Russia. In March 1995, astronaut Thagard is scheduled to be launched in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft with two cosmonauts to begin a three-month tour of duty on the Russian Mir Space Station. Thagard, along with his back-up, astronaut Bonnie J. Dunbar, has been training in Russian since February 1994.

Astronaut Bonnie J. Dunbar in a cosmonaut space suit in the Training Simulator Facility at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (Star City), near Moscow, Russia. In March 1995, astronaut Norman E. Thagard is scheduled to be launched in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft with two cosmonauts to begin a three-month tour of duty on the Russian Mir Space Station. Thagard, along with his back-up, astronaut Bonnie J. Dunbar, has been training in Russian since February 1994.

ISS034-E-066640 (11 March 2013) --- Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy (foreground), and Evgeny Tarelkin, both Expedition 34 flight engineers, participate in descent training in the Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft, which is docked to the International Space Station. Undocking and landing are scheduled for March 16, Kazakh time.

ISS034-E-066644 (11 March 2013) --- NASA astronaut Kevin Ford (left), Expedition 34 commander, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, Expedition 34 flight engineer (partially visible at right foreground), participate in descent training in the Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft, which is docked to the International Space Station. Undocking and landing are scheduled for March 16, Kazakh time.

S94-45643 (20 Sept 1994) --- Astronaut Norman E. Thagard in a cosmonaut space suit in the Training Simulator Facility at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (Star City), near Moscow, Russia. In March 1995, astronaut Thagard is scheduled to be launched in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft with two cosmonauts to begin a three-month tour of duty on the Russian Mir Space Station. Thagard, along with his back-up, astronaut Bonnie J. Dunbar, has been training in Russia since February 1994. During his stay on Mir, he will conduct a variety of life sciences experiments that will provide U.S. investigators with the first long-duration exposure data since Skylab in the late 1970's. Thagard's mission will end in July when the Space Shuttle Atlantis, carrying the newly installed docking mechanism, docks with Mir Space Station for the first United States - Russian docking operation since Apollo-Soyuz in 1975. The Orbiter will remain attached to Mir for five days of joint scientific operations before returning home with Thagard and his Russian crew mates and leaving behind two cosmonauts on Mir.

S94-45647 (20 Sept 1994) --- Astronaut's Norman E. Thagard and Bonnie J. Dunbar by the Mir Space Station simulator at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (Star City), near Moscow, Russia. In March 1995, astronaut Thagard is scheduled to be launched in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft with two cosmonauts to begin a three-month tour of duty on the Russian Mir Space Station. Thagard, along with his back-up, astronaut Dunbar, has been training in Russia since February 1994. During his stay on Mir, he will conduct a variety of life sciences experiments that will provide U.S. investigators with the first long-duration exposure data since Skylab in the late 1970's. Thagard's mission will end in late May or early June when the Space Shuttle Atlantis, carrying the newly installed docking mechanism, docks with Mir Space Station for the first United States - Russian docking operation since Apollo-Soyuz in 1975. The Orbiter will remain attached to Mir for five days of joint scientific operations before returning home with Thagard and his Russian crew mates and leaving behind two cosmonauts on Mir.

jsc2017e138117 - At the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 54-55 prime crewmembers pose for pictures Dec. 13 in front of the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft during pre-launch training. Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Scott Tingle of NASA (right) will launch Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 vehicle for a five month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 46-47 crewmember Tim Kopra of NASA reviews procedures inside a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Nov. 20 at the start of final qualification exams. Kopra and crewmates Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Tim Peake of the European Space Agency will launch Dec. 15 on their Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft Dec. 15 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Seth Marcantel

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 46-47 crewmember Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) reviews procedures inside a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Nov. 20 at the start of final qualification exams. Malenchenko and crewmates Tim Peake of the European Space Agency and Tim Kopra of NASA will launch Dec. 15 on their Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft Dec. 15 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Seth Marcantel

The Expedition 46-47 crewmembers arrive in Baikonur, Kazakhstan Nov. 30 for final pre-launch training following a flight from their training base at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia and are greeted by school children. Tim Peake of the European Space Agency (left), Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Tim Kopra of NASA (right), will launch Dec. 15 on the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA / Victor Zelentsov

The Expedition 46-47 crewmembers arrive in Baikonur, Kazakhstan Nov. 30 for final pre-launch training following a flight from their training base at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. Tim Peake of the European Space Agency (left), Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Tim Kopra of NASA (right) will launch Dec. 15 on the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA / Victor Zelentsov

The Expedition 46-47 crewmembers arrive in Baikonur, Kazakhstan Nov. 30 for final pre-launch training following a flight from their training base at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. On the right of the frame are Tim Peake of the European Space Agency (left), Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Tim Kopra of NASA (right), who will launch Dec. 15 on the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA / Victor Zelentsov

The Expedition 46-47 crewmembers arrive in Baikonur, Kazakhstan Nov. 30 for final pre-launch training following a flight from their training base at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. Tim Peake of the European Space Agency (left), Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Tim Kopra of NASA (right) 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 Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crewmember Christina Koch of NASA boards a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Feb. 20 during the second day of final pre-launch qualifications exams. Koch, Nick Hague of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch March 14, U.S. time, in the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Beth Weissinger

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Nick Hague of NASA works inside the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft 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

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Nick Hague of NASA works inside the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft 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

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Christina Koch of NASA works inside the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft Feb. 27 during pre-launch training. Koch, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Nick Hague of NASA (right) 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

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Christina Koch of NASA works inside the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft Feb. 27 during pre-launch training. Koch, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Nick Hague of NASA (right) 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

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Nick Hague of NASA works inside the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft 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

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 59 crewmember Nick Hague of NASA works inside the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft 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

jsc2019e004057 (Feb. 20, 2019) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crew member Christina Koch of NASA boards a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Feb. 20 during the second day of final pre-launch qualifications exams. Koch, Nick Hague of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch March 14, U.S. time, in the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Beth Weissinger

jsc2019e004060 (Feb. 20, 2019) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crew member Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos is seen inside a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Feb. 20 during the second day of final pre-launch qualification exams. Ovchinin and crewmates Nick Hague and Christina Koch of NASA 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. Credit: NASA/Beth Weissinger

jsc2019e004059 (Feb. 20, 2019) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crew member Nick Hague of NASA is seen inside a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Feb. 20 during the second day of final pre-launch qualification exams. Hague, Christina Koch of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch March 14, U.S. time, in the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Beth Weissinger

jsc2017e138121 - At the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 54-55 backup crewmembers pose for pictures Dec. 13 in front of the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft during pre-launch training. Jeanette Epps of NASA (left), Sergey Prokopyev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (right) are serving as backups to the prime crewmembers, Scott Tingle of NASA, Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), who will launch Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 vehicle for a five month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

jsc2017e135211 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 54-55 prime crewmember Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) disconnects a cooling system hose as he boards a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Nov. 29 as part of the crew’s final qualification exam activities. He will launch along with Scott Tingle of NASA and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

jsc2017e135209 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 54-55 prime crewmember Scott Tingle of NASA flashes a thumbs up as he boards a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Nov. 29 as part of the crew’s final qualification exam activities. Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) is seen in the foreground. They will launch along with Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

jsc2017e135203 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 54-55 prime crewmembers Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left) and Scott Tingle of NASA (right) walk through a Soyuz spacecraft simulator building Nov. 29 as part of their final crew qualification exam activities. They will launch with Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

jsc2017e135210 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 54-55 prime crewmember Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) waves to reporters as he boards a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Nov. 29 as part of the crew’s final qualification exam activities. Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) is seen in the foreground. They will launch along with Scott Tingle of NASA Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

jsc2019e004068 (Feb. 20, 2019) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crew member Christina Koch of NASA listens to reporters’ questions in front of a Soyuz spacecraft simulator Feb. 20 during the second day of final pre-launch qualifications exams. Koch, Nick Hague of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch March 14, U.S. time, in the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Beth Weissinger

jsc2019e004067 (Feb. 20, 2019) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crewmembers Christina Koch of NASA (left), Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (center) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) listen to reporters’ questions in front of their Soyuz spacecraft simulator Feb. 20 during the second day of final pre-launch qualifications exams. They 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. Credit: NASA/Beth Weissinger

jsc2019e004056 (Feb. 20, 2019) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crew members Christina Koch of NASA (left), Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (center) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) pose for pictures in front of their Soyuz spacecraft simulator Feb. 20 during the second day of final pre-launch qualifications exams. They 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. Credit: NASA/Beth Weissinger

During a break from training, the Expedition 46-47 crewmembers toured the Korolev Museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Dec. 10 and displayed a flag bearing the logo for their Soyuz mission. From left to right are Tim Kopra of NASA, Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Tim Peake of the European Space 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

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 Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, training instructors monitor the work of Expedition 48-49 prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos during final qualification exams May 26. Rubins, Onishi and Ivanishin will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

ISS Expedition 48-49 crewmember Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency departs the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia June 24 for his launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and final pre-launch training. In the background on the right is crewmate Kate Rubins of NASA. Rubins, Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Onishi will launch July 7 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft for a planned four-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

S75-21945 (24 Feb. 1975) --- Cosmonaut Aleksey A. Leonov (left) and astronaut Thomas P. Stafford take part in Apollo-Soyuz Test Project joint crew training in Building 35 at NASA's Johnson Space Center. They are commanders of their respective prime crews. The training session simulated the activities of the second day in Earth orbit. Stafford and Leonov are in the Docking Module mock-up.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA (left), Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos (center) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (right) pose for pictures in front of a Soyuz simulator during Soyuz qualification exams May 26. They are serving as the backups to prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, who will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA (left), Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos (center) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (right) field questions from reporters in front of a Soyuz simulator during Soyuz qualification exams May 26. They are serving as the backups to prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, who will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

S74-24675 (June 1974) --- Two mock-ups of the USSR Soyuz spacecraft which are on display at the Cosmonaut Training Center (Star City) near Moscow. The Soyuz spacecraft mounted vertically on the left is a training mock-up. The Soyuz mounted horizontally on the right was exhibited at the Paris air show in May-June 1973 in a docked configuration with an Apollo spacecraft. The spherical-shaped section of the Soyuz is called the orbital module. The middle section with the lettering ?CCCP? (USSR) on it called the descent vehicle. Two solar panels extend out from the instrument-assembly module. The joint U.S.-USSR Apollo-Soyuz docking mission in Earth orbit is scheduled for the summer of 1975. A docking module mock-up is atop the Soyuz training mock-up on the left.

CG4G8846_1 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 backup crewmembers Timothy Peake of the European Space Agency (left), Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Timothy Kopra of NASA (right) pose for pictures in front of a Soyuz spacecraft simulator May 6 as part of their final qualification exams for flight. They are the backups to the prime crew --- Kjell Lindgren of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency --- who are in the final stages of training for launch May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

CG4G8784 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 backup Flight Engineer Timothy Peake of the European Space Agency answers questions from reporters in front of a Soyuz spacecraft simulator May 6 as part of his final qualification exams for flight. He along with Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Timothy Kopra of NASA (not pictured) are the backups to the prime crew --- Kjell Lindgren of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency --- who are in the final stages of training for launch May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

CG4G8796_1 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 backup crewmembers Timothy Peake of the European Space Agency (left), Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Timothy Kopra of NASA (right) answer questions from reporters in front of a Soyuz spacecraft simulator May 6 as part of their final qualification exams for flight. They are the backups to the prime crew --- Kjell Lindgren of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency --- who are in the final stages of training for launch May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

CG4G8787 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 backup crewmembers Timothy Peake of the European Space Agency (left), Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Timothy Kopra of NASA (right) answer questions from reporters in front of a Soyuz spacecraft simulator May 6 as part of their final qualification exams for flight. They are the backups to the prime crew --- Kjell Lindgren of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency --- who are in the final stages of training for launch May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

A Soyuz TMA spacecraft mockup is seen at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Monday, April 23, 2012 in Star City, Russia. Expedition 31 prime and backup crew members train in the Soyuz mockup in preparation for final flight to the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 35-36 Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov prepares to enter a Soyuz spacecraft mockup March 5 for the start of qualification simulation runs. Vinogradov, NASA Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin are training for launch March 29, Kazakh time, to the International Space Station in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. NASA / Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 35-36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy flashes a thumbs up for photographers prior to the start of qualification simulation runs in a Soyuz spacecraft mockup March 5. Cassidy, Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin are training for launch March 29, Kazakh time, to the International Space Station in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. NASA / Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 35-36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy (right), Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov (center) and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin (left) clasp hands for photographers prior to the start of qualification simulation runs in a Soyuz spacecraft mockup March 5. The three crewmembers are training for launch March 29, Kazakh time, to the International Space Station in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. NASA / Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Russian instructors monitor the performance of Expedition 37/38 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov, Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins of NASA and Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy Sept. 4 as they conducted a qualification exam in a Soyuz spacecraft simulator. The trio is in final training for launch on Sept. 26, Kazakh time, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft 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 35-36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy enters a Soyuz spacecraft mockup March 5 for the start of qualification simulation runs. Cassidy, Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin are training for launch March 29, Kazakh time, to the International Space Station in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. NASA / Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 35-36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy prepares to enter a Soyuz spacecraft mockup March 5 for the start of qualification simulation runs. Cassidy, Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin are training for launch March 29, Kazakh time, to the International Space Station in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. NASA / Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 35-36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy (right) answers questions from reporters prior to the start of qualification simulation runs in a Soyuz spacecraft mockup March 5. Cassidy, Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov (center) and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin (left) are training for launch March 29, Kazakh time, to the International Space Station in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. NASA / Stephanie Stoll

Expedition 27 Flight Engineer Ron Garan of NASA (left), Flight Engineer Andrey Borisenko (center) and Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev (right) admire their Soyuz crew patch aboard a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center plane as they flew from Star City, Russia to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 21, 2011. There, they will complete training for their launch April 5 (April 4, U.S. time) on the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 27 Flight Engineer Andrey Borisenko (left), Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev (center) and NASA Flight Engineer Ron Garan (right) display their Soyuz crew patch aboard a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center plane as they flew from Star City, Russia to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 21, 2011. There, they will complete training for their launch April 5 (April 4, U.S. time) on the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 27 Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev (foreground) and Flight Engineer Andrey Borisenko affix their Soyuz crew patch aboard a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center plane as they flew from Star City, Russia to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 21, 2011 with their crewmate, NASA Flight Engineer Ron Garan. In Baikonur, they will complete training for their launch April 5 (April 4, U.S. time) on the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Expedition 27 Flight Engineer Ron Garan of NASA signs his Soyuz crew patch aboard a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center plane as he, Flight Engineer Andrey Borisenko and Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev flew from Star City, Russia to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 21, 2011. In Baikonur, they will complete training for their launch April 5 (April 4, U.S. time) on the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

jsc2020e016220 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA (left) and Anatoly Ivanishin (center) and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos (right) pose for pictures in front of a Soyuz trainer during the second day of Soyuz qualification exams March 12. They are scheduled to 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.

jsc2017e043848 (April 14, 2017) --- In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 51 crewmember Jack Fischer of NASA enters the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft April 14 during a final training session. Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center/Andrey Shelepin

jsc2017e040291 (April 6, 2017) --- In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 51 crewmember Jack Fischer of NASA gestures from his seat in the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft April 6 as part of pre-launch training preparations. Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center/Andrey Shelepin

jsc2017e115140 (Sept. 7, 2017) --- At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 53-54 crewmember Mark Vande Hei of NASA boards the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft Sept. 7 during final fit check training activities. 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: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center/Irina Peshkova

jsc2017e040290 (April 6, 2017) --- In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 51 crewmember Jack Fischer of NASA eases into his seat in the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft April 6 as part of pre-launch training preparations. Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center/Andrey Shelepin

jsc2017e137335 - At their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 54-55 prime crewmembers Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, left), Scott Tingle of NASA (center) and Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, right) confer with Soyuz spacecraft trainers 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.

jsc2017e040289 (April 6, 2017) --- In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 51 crewmembers Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left) and Jack Fischer of NASA (right) pose for pictures April 6 in front of their Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft as part of pre-launch training preparations. Fischer and Yurchikhin will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center/Andrey Shelepin

jsc2017e115139 (Sept. 7, 2017) --- At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 53-54 crewmembers Joe Acaba of NASA (left), Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos (center) and Mark Vande Hei of NASA (right) pose for pictures Sept. 7 in front of the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft during final fit check training activities. They will launch Sept. 13 on the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft for a five and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center/Irina Peshkova

jsc2017e115141 (Sept. 7, 2017) --- At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 53-54 crewmember Joe Acaba of NASA boards the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft Sept. 7 during final fit check training activities. Acaba, Mark Vande Hei 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: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center/Irina Peshkova

jsc2017e043847 (April 14, 2017) --- In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 51 crewmember Jack Fischer of NASA enters the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft April 14 during a final training session. Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center/Andrey Shelepin

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 36/37 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin signs in for the start of final qualification training April 30 as his crewmates, NASA Flight Engineer Karen Nyberg (left) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (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 outside Moscow, Expedition 29 Flight Engineer Dan Burbank of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov (center) and Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin take a break from their training August 26, 2011 as they prepare for their launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in their Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft for a six-month stint on the International Space Station. Photo credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia outside Moscow, Expedition 29 Flight Engineer Dan Burbank of NASA (left), Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov (center) and Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin take a break from their training August 25, 2011 as they prepare for their launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in their Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft for a six-month stint on the International Space Station. Photo credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia outside Moscow, Expedition 29 Flight Engineer Dan Burbank of NASA reviews Russian segment systems documents during a training session August 25, 2011 as he prepares for his launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in the Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft with Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov and Russian Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin for a six-month stint on the International Space Station. Photo credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

The sun rises behind the Soyuz launch pad shortly before the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by the train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 321, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

The sun rises behind the Soyuz launch pad shortly before the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmember Peggy Whitson of NASA flashes a smile in front of a Soyuz simulator May 26 during final qualification exams. Whitson, Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos are serving as the backups to prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, who will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

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

CG4G8895 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) signs in for the first of two days of qualification exams May 6 as his crewmates, Kjell Lindgren of NASA (left) and Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (right), look on. The trio is preparing for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA (left), Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos (center) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (right) arrive for Soyuz qualification exams May 26. They are serving as the backups to prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, who will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 46-47 backup crewmembers Anatoly Ivanishin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left) and Kate Rubins of NASA prepare to enter a Soyuz simulator Nov. 19 at the start of qualification exams. Along with Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 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

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmember Peggy Whitson of NASA signs in for Soyuz qualification exams May 26. Whitson, Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos are serving as the backups to prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, who will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 46-47 backup crewmembers Anatoly Ivanishin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left), Kate Rubins of NASA (center) and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (right) listen to reporters’ questions in front of a Soyuz simulator Nov. 19 at the start of qualification exams. 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

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmember Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency signs in for Soyuz qualification exams May 26. Pesquet, Peggy Whitson of NASA and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos are serving as the backups to prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, who will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

S75-25615 (April 1975) --- The Soviet Soyuz spacecraft for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission is seen during prelaunch preparations at the Baikonur launch complex near Tyuratam in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. American ASTP crewmen visited the site while in the Soviet Union for training at the Cosmonaut Training Center (Star City) near Moscow. The Baikonur launch facility is located some 2,100 kilometers (1,300 miles) southeast of Moscow. The three major components of the Soyuz spacecraft are the Orbital Module (top), Descent Vehicle (in middle) and the Instrument Assemble Module (at bottom with solar panels). PHOTO COURTESY: USSR ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

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

ISS Expedition 48-49 crewmember Kate Rubins of NASA (left) flashes a smile June 24 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia before flying to her launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch training. Looking on are crewmate Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (right) and backup crewmember Peggy Whitson of NASA (background). Rubins, Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Onishi will launch July 7 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft for a planned four-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Stephanie Stoll

CG4G9159 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren of NASA joins his crewmates, Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (not pictured), in the International Space Station Zvezda Service Module training mockup on the first of two days of qualification exams May 6. The trio is preparing for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

CG4G8740_1 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 backup Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) signs in for the first of two days of qualification exams May 6 as his crewmates, Timothy Peake of the European Space Agency (left) and Timothy Kopra of NASA (right) look on. They are the backups to the prime crew --- Kjell Lindgren of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency --- who are in the final stages of training for launch May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

CG4G8713 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 backup Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and his crewmates, Timothy Peake of the European Space Agency (left) and Timothy Kopra of NASA (right), prepare to sign in for the first of two days of qualification exams. They are the backups to the prime crew --- Kjell Lindgren of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency --- who are in the final stages of training for launch May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

S74-28972 (20 Sept. 1974) --- Astronaut Vance D. Brand (foreground) and cosmonaut Aleksandr S. Ivanchenko are seated in the Docking Module trainer in Building 35 during Apollo-Soyuz Test Project simulation training at the Johnson Space Center. Brand is the command module pilot of the American ASTP prime crew. Ivanchenko is the engineer on the Soviet ASTP fourth crew (backup). During the exercise the American ASTP crew and the Soviet ASTP crew simulated docking the Apollo and Soyuz in Earth orbit and transferring to each other?s spacecraft. The Docking Module is designed to link the Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft. The ASTP crewmen are training in both the U.S. and USSR for the joint mission scheduled for the summer of 1975. This view is looking from inside the Command Module into the Docking Module. The hatchway loading into the Soyuz spacecraft orbital module mock-up is in the background.

S74-28649 (16 Sept. 1974) --- Three crewmen of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project are seated in a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft orbital module mock-up in Building 35 during ASTP simulation training at the Johnson Space Center. They are cosmonaut Anatoliy V. Filipchenko (left background), commander of the Soviet ASTP second (backup) crew; cosmonaut Nikolay N. Rukavishnikov (left foreground), engineer on the crew; and astronaut Vance D. Brand (right), command module pilot of the American ASTP prime crew. The hatch in the background leads to the Docking Module. During the exercise the American ASTP crew and the Soviet ASTP crew simulated docking the Apollo and Soyuz in Earth orbit and transferring to each other?s spacecraft. Here, Brand is visiting the Soyuz spacecraft. The crewmen are training in both the U.S. and the USSR for the joint mission scheduled for the summer of 1975.

jsc2024e018310 (March 6, 2024) --- NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson is pictured before departing the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, for the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Dyson is in final training for her mission launching aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft to the International Space Station. Credit: GCTC

The Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft is seen after being rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Sunday, May 13, 2012. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 31 Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin of Russia, and prime NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. local time on Tuesday, May 15. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

A Russian security officer stands guard as the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The flags of the Russia, the United States and Kazakhstan are seen at the launch pad after the Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft was rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Sunday, June 13, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 24 Russian Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikin, and NASA Flight Engineers Shannon Walker and Doug Wheelock is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 3:35 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is raised into position shortly after it was rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

The Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft is rolled out by train on its way to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Sunday, May 13, 2012. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 31 Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin of Russia, and prime NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. local time on Tuesday, May 15. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft is rolled out by train on its way to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Monday, Dec. 13, 2010, in Kazakhstan. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 26 Soyuz Commander Dmitry Kondratyev, NASA Flight Engineer Catherine Coleman, and Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli is scheduled for Thursday, Dec., 16, 2010 at 1:09 a.m. local time. Photo Credit (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

The Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Sunday, May 13, 2012. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 31 Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin of Russia, and prime NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. local time on Tuesday, May 15. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)