The final hurdles before the vacuum of space

Space · Published 14 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before astronauts board a Soyuz spacecraft, they must undergo rigorous qualification training in the heart of Russia. This final preparation phase ensures that the crew can handle the extreme demands of the International Space Station, from complex orbital mechanics to life-saving medical emergencies in microgravity.

The preparation for Expedition 33/34 involved a high-stakes transition from theoretical learning to practical qualification. Russia's Star City hosted Oleg Novitskiy, Evgeny Tarelkin, and Kevin Ford for a session at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center during September 20 and 21. This facility serves as the final proving ground where astronauts and cosmonauts refine their skills before receiving official approval for launch. The training is a critical gatekeeper, ensuring that the human element of the mission is as reliable as the hardware. The logistical timeline for these missions is precise. Following their qualification in Star City, the primary crew is scheduled to move to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on October 2. This move precedes their scheduled liftoff on October 15 aboard the Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft.

While the primary crew prepares for flight, backup members—including Pavel Vinogradov, Alexander Misurkin, and Chris Cassidy—also undergo training to ensure mission redundancy. While the new crew prepares for departure, the current residents of the International Space Station (Expedition 74) maintain the station's viability through constant maintenance and simulation. This includes practicing medical emergency procedures like CPR and locating hardware in low Earth orbit. They also manage the arrival of cargo, such as the Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL, which carries advanced research gear for quantum physics and stem cell therapies. This cycle of preparation and maintenance highlights the continuous nature of space exploration: while one crew prepares to leave Earth, another is working to keep the orbital outpost functional and safe.

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