The final steps before a four-month journey into orbit

Space · Published 7 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Watch the traditional ceremonies and final preparations of the crew heading to the International Space Station. This footage captures the transition from terrestrial training to the reality of spaceflight.

The Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, situated within Star City, Russia, hosted the Expedition 48-49 team on 24 June. The primary team includes Anatoly Ivanishin (Roscosmos), Kate Rubins (NASA), and Takuya Onishi (JAXA).

Following these ceremonies, the astronauts and cosmonauts traveled to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. There, they will conduct final training for their four-month mission aboard the International Space Station via the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft.

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