Preparing for the void: the final training before an ISS mission

Space · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before launching into orbit, the Expedition 44 crew gathered in Star City, Russia. This final qualification training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center ensures that commanders and engineers from NASA, Roscosmos, and JAXA are ready for the rigors of spaceflight and their upcoming mission to the International Space Station.

During May, the Expedition 44 team completed vital concluding qualification drills at Russia's Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City. Such rigorous drills included the main crew—Roscosmos's Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko, NASA's Kjell Lindgren, and JAXA's Kimiya Yui—alongside backups Yuri Malenchenko (Roscosmos), Tim Kopra (NASA), and Timothy Peake (ESA). This phase is essential for ensuring that all crew members can operate the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft effectively during their journey. This preparation involves specific specialists, including flight engineers and commanders. Such training is fundamental for mission safety.

The mission was scheduled to launch on May 27, Kazakh time, marking the start of a 5.5-month stay aboard the International Space Station. Success in these training sessions is vital, as the crew must manage complex orbital operations and maintain the station's systems. These efforts paved the way for major achievements, such as the homecoming of Roscosmos's Gennady Padalka and visitors Andreas Mogensen (ESA) and Aidyn Aimbetov (Kazakh Space Agency). The crew's return to Earth involves landing in Kazakhstan. This process often includes returning a cache of scientific samples.

The complexity of these missions is underscored by the varied roles and durations involved. While the primary crew prepared for a multi-month stint, other missions involve different timelines, such as the 168-day mission completed by one cosmonaut or the record-setting one-year mission undertaken by Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko. These diverse mission profiles highlight the ongoing scientific and human research conducted aboard the station, ranging from biomedical experiments to the management of space shipments. Scientific research remains a priority during these stays. Crew members often conduct various biomedical experiments to advance human knowledge.

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