jsc2017e114495

Prime Expedition 53-54 crewmember and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei lays flowers at the Kremlin Wall in Moscow where Russian space icons are interred as part of traditional pre-launch ceremonies Sept. 1. Vande He, Joe Acaba of NASA and Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos will launch Sept. 13 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Sept. 13 on the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft for a five and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger

jsc2017e114495 (Sept. 1, 2017) --- Prime Expedition 53-54 crewmember and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei lays flowers at the Kremlin Wall in Moscow where Russian space icons are interred as part of traditional pre-launch ceremonies Sept. 1. Vande He, Joe Acaba of NASA and Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos will launch Sept. 13 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Sept. 13 on the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft for a five and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger

Photographer MARK SOWA