posted 07-09-2008 10:10 AM               

This list identifies crews based on current training schedules, thus changes to the final flight crews are still possible.

Increment 18

• Yuri Lonchakov (17S prime)
  
• Mike Fincke (17S prime) - Exp. 18 CDR
  
• Richard Garriot (17S prime) - Space Fight Participant (SFP)
  
• Gennady Padalka (17S backup)
  
• Mike Barratt (17S backup)
  
• Nik Halik (17S backup) - SFP Australian backup
  
• Sandy Magnus (ULF2 prime)
  
• Nicole Stott (ULF2 backup)
  
• Koichi Wakata (15A prime) - JAXA
  
• Soichi Noguchi (15A backup) - JAXA

• Gennady Padalka (18S prime) - Exp. 19-20 CDR
  
• Mike Barratt (18S prime)
  
• Maxim Suraev (18S backup)
  
• Jeff Williams (18S backup)
  
• Tim Kopra (2J/A prime)
  
• Nicole Stott (17A prime)
  
• T. J. Creamer (2J/A backup)
  
• Cady Coleman (C) (17A backup)

• Roman Romanenko (19S prime)
  
• Frank De Winne (19S prime) Exp. 21 CDR - ESA
  
• Bob Thirsk (19S prime) - CSA
  
• Dmitri Kondratyev (19S backup)
  
• Andre Kuipers (19S backup) - ESA
  
• Chris Hadfield (19S backup) - CSA

• Maxim Suraev (20S prime)
  
• Jeff Williams (20S prime) - Exp. 22 CDR
  
• SFP - TBD
  
• Alexender Skvortsov (20S backup)
  
• Shannon Walker (20S backup)

• Oleg Kotov (21S prime) - Exp. 23 CDR
  
• Soichi Noguchi (21S prime) - JAXA
  
• T. J. Creamer (21S prime)
  
• Anton Shkaplerov (21S backup)
  
• Satoshi Furukawa (21S backup) - JAXA
  
• Doug Wheelock (21S backup)

• Alexander Kaleri (22S prime) - Exp. 24 CDR
  
• Mikhail Komienko (22S prime)
  
• Tracy Caldwell (22S prime)
  
• Mikhail Tyurin (22S backup)
  
• Alexander Samokutyayev (22S backup)
  
• Scott Kelly (22S backup)

• Alexander Skvortsov (23S prime)
  
• Shannon Walker (23S prime)
  
• Doug Wheelock (23 S prime) - Exp. 25 CDR
  
• Fyodor Yurchikchin (23S backup)
  
• NASA-ASI TBD (23S backup)
  
• Cady Coleman (C) (23S backup)

• Dmitri Kondratyev (24S prime)
  
• Oleg Skripochka (24S prime)
  
• Scott Kelly (24S prime) - Exp. 26 CDR
  
• Anatoly Ivanishin (24S backup)
  
• Sergei Revin (24S backup)

• Fyodor Yurchikchin (25S prime)
  
• NASA-ASI TBD (25S prime)
  
• Cady Coleman (25S prime)

posted 07-13-2008 01:18 PM               

Maxim Suraev is now shown as replacing Romanenko as CDR of Soyuz TMA-16.

Essentially, if this holds, each has been moved up one launch. No replacement shown for Suraev yet on TMA-17.

posted 11-21-2008 11:21 AM               

NASA Assigns Space Station Crews, Updates Expedition Numbering

NASA and its international partners have assigned the International Space Station's crew members through 2010. The numbering sequence of expeditions was modified to reflect the start of six-person crews.

The update to the expedition numbering begins with the docking of a Soyuz spacecraft in May 2009. That Soyuz will mark the beginning of six-person crew operations. From that point forward, expeditions will end with the undocking of a Soyuz. The expedition number will change every two to four months as new crew members arrive and depart.

The arrangement emphasizes that every six-person crew living on the station is a cohesive team. A crew member typically will stay about six months and be part of two expeditions. In addition to the Russian Soyuz, the space shuttle will continue to provide transportation for station crew members through mission STS-129, targeted for the fall of 2009.

With the departure of a Soyuz, command of the station will be handed over to a crew member remaining aboard, and the next expedition will begin. Specific backup crew members will not be announced because of the streamlined training flow for six-person crews. If needed, backups can be selected from subsequent crews in training.

The groups of assigned crew members, beginning with the first six-person crew and including newly announced crew members, are outlined below by expedition. An asterisk indicates the crew member was previously announced.

Expedition 20 begins with the Soyuz 19 [TMA-15] docking and the arrival of three new crew members in May 2009.

• Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, International Space Station commander, who will launch in March 2009 on Soyuz 18 and return in October 2009 on Soyuz 18.*
  
• NASA astronaut Michael R. Barratt, who will launch in March 2009 on Soyuz 18 and return in October 2009 on Soyuz 18.*
  
• NASA astronaut Tim Kopra, who will launch on STS-127 and return on STS-128.*
  
• Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, who will launch in May 2009 on Soyuz 19 and return in November 2009 on Soyuz 19.
  
• European Space Agency, or ESA, astronaut Frank De Winne, who will launch in May 2009 on Soyuz 19 and return in November 2009 on Soyuz 19*
  
• Canadian Space Agency, or CSA, astronaut Robert Thirsk, who will launch in May 2009 on Soyuz 19 and return on STS-129.*
  
• NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, who will launch on STS-128 and return in November 2009 on Soyuz 19.*

Expedition 21 begins with the Soyuz 18 undocking in October 2009. Two new crew members will arrive on Soyuz 20 for the handover before the previous crew departs.

• ESA astronaut Frank De Winne, the first European station commander
  
• CSA astronaut Robert Thirsk
  
• Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko
  
• NASA astronaut Nicole Stott
  
• Russian Cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, who will launch in September 2009 on Soyuz 20 and return in March 2010 on Soyuz 20.
  
• NASA astronaut Jeffrey N. Williams, who will launch in September 2009 on Soyuz 20 and return in March 2010 on Soyuz 20.

Expedition 22 begins with the Soyuz 19 undocking in November 2009. Three new crew members will arrive shortly thereafter on Soyuz 21.

• NASA astronaut Jeffrey N. Williams, station commander
  
• Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev
  
• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, who will launch in December 2009 on Soyuz 21 and return in May 2010 on Soyuz 21.
  
• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, astronaut Soichi Noguchi, who will launch in December 2009 on Soyuz 21 and return in May 2010 on Soyuz 21.*
  
• NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer, who will launch in December 2009 on Soyuz 21 and return in May 2010 on Soyuz 21.*

Expedition 23 begins with the Soyuz 20 undocking in March 2010. Three new crew members will arrive shortly thereafter on Soyuz 22.

• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, station commander
  
• JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi
  
• NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri, who will launch in April 2010 on Soyuz 22 and return in September 2010 on Soyuz 22.
  
• Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, who will launch in April 2010 on Soyuz 22 and return in September 2010 on Soyuz 22.
  
• NASA astronaut Tracy E. Caldwell, who will launch in April 2010 on Soyuz 22 and return in September 2010 on Soyuz 22.

Expedition 24 begins with the Soyuz 21 undocking in May 2010. Three new crew members will arrive shortly thereafter on Soyuz 23.

• Russian cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri, station commander
  
• Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko
  
• NASA astronaut Tracy E. Caldwell
  
• Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, who will launch in May 2010 on Soyuz 23 and return in November 2010 on Soyuz 23.
  
• NASA astronaut Shannon Walker, who will launch in May 2010 on Soyuz 23 and return November 2010 on Soyuz 23.
  
• NASA astronaut Douglas H. Wheelock, who will launch in May 2010 on Soyuz 23 and return in November 2010 on Soyuz 23.

Expedition 25 begins with the Soyuz 22 undocking in September 2010. Three new crew members will arrive shortly thereafter on Soyuz 24.

• NASA astronaut Douglas H. Wheelock, station commander
  
• Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov
  
• NASA astronaut Shannon Walker
  
• Russian cosmonaut Dmitri Kondratyev, who will launch in September 2010 on Soyuz 24 and return in March 2011 on Soyuz 24.
  
• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka, who will launch in September 2010 on Soyuz 24 and return in March 2011 on Soyuz 24.
  
• NASA astronaut Scott J. Kelly, who will launch in September 2010 on Soyuz 24 and return in March 2011 on Soyuz 24.

Expedition 26 begins with the Soyuz 23 undocking in November 2010. Three crew members will arrive shortly thereafter on Soyuz 25.

• NASA astronaut Scott J. Kelly, station commander
  
• Russian cosmonaut Dmitri Kondratyev
  
• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka
  
• Russian cosmonaut Andrey Borisienko, who will launch in November 2010 on Soyuz 25 and return in May 2011 on Soyuz 25.
  
• NASA astronaut Catherine Coleman, who will launch in November 2010 on Soyuz 25 and return in May 2011 on Soyuz 25.
  
• ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, who will launch in November 2010 on Soyuz 25 and return in May 2011 on Soyuz 25.

posted 11-23-2008 07:55 PM               

The Soyuz numbers provided in the release are the ISS program designation, i.e. Soyuz 20 is the 20th Soyuz to dock with the station. The equivalent schedule is as follows:

---2009---
Soyuz TMA-14 - Soyuz 18 - Padalka, Barratt
Soyuz TMA-15 - Soyuz 19 - Romanenko, De Winne, Thirsk
Soyuz TMA-16 - Soyuz 20 - Suraev, Williams
Soyuz TMA-17 - Soyuz 21 - Kotov, Noguchi, Creamer
---2010---
Soyuz TMA-01M - Soyuz 22 - Kaleri, Kornienko, Caldwell
Soyuz TMA-18 - Soyuz 23 - Skvortsov, Walker, Wheelock
Soyuz TMA-19 - Soyuz 24 - Kondratyev, Skripochka, Kelly
Soyuz TMA-20 - Soyuz 25 - Borisienko, Coleman, Nespoli

posted 12-18-2008 09:30 AM               

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced that astronaut Satoshi Furukawa will travel aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) and spend about six months there from spring 2011.

...Furukawa is slated to be involved in the operation of the ISS and scientific experiments using Japan's Kibo space laboratory before returning on the Soyuz.

Furukawa is currently undergoing training in Russia. "I want to contribute to life-science experiments, making full use of my ability as a doctor," he commented.

posted 03-03-2009 10:07 AM               

NASA Announces Change for Return of Station Crew Members

The International Space Station Program has announced a change in how two future crew members will return home. NASA astronaut Nicole Stott and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Robert Thirsk will swap seats on the space shuttle and Russian Soyuz spacecraft to help ensure a timely homecoming for Thirsk.

Thirsk will launch to the station on a Soyuz in May and return to Earth on that same vehicle in November, instead of aboard space shuttle Atlantis at the end of the STS-129 mission. Stott, who will launch to the station on shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission, will return aboard Atlantis with the STS-129 crew. She had been slated to come home aboard the Soyuz that Thirsk now will occupy.

The change is in case of delays to future shuttle missions, specifically STS-129, which currently is scheduled to launch in November 2009. Such a delay could result in extending Thirsk's mission beyond the six-month duration preferred for station crew members.

posted 10-07-2009 03:07 PM               

NASA and its International Partners Assign Space Station Crews

NASA and its international partners have assigned five new International Space Station crews and made changes to four previously assigned station crews.

Among the newly announced crews for future station missions is the assignment of NASA astronauts Ron Garan, who was born in Yonkers, N.Y.; Mike Fossum, who grew up in McAllen, Texas; Dan Burbank, who considers Yarmouthport, Mass., his hometown; and Don Pettit, who was born in Silverton, Ore. European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers and Satoshi Furukawa, an astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, also have been assigned to upcoming crews.

Changes were made to previously announced station crews that include multiple alterations to Russian cosmonaut assignments: Alexander Skvortsov replaces Alexander Kaleri as the Soyuz 21 [TMA-17] commander and Expedition 24 commander; Feodor Yurchikhin replaces Skvortsov as the Soyuz 23 [TMA-19] commander and Expedition 24/25 flight engineer; Kaleri replaces Dmitri Kondratiev as the Soyuz 24 [TMA-01M] commander and Expedition 25/26 flight engineer; and Kondratiev replaces Andrew Borisienko as the Soyuz 25 [TMA-20] commander and joins Expedition 26 as a flight engineer.

Additional cosmonauts assigned to upcoming crews are Alexander Samkutyayev, Sergei Volkov, Anton Shkaplerov, Sergei Revin and Oleg Kononenko.

Details of future station expeditions, along with the Soyuz spacecraft aboard which the crew members will launch and land, are:

Expedition 27 (begins in March 2011, with the undocking of Soyuz 24 [TMA-01M]):
• Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratiev, station commander (Soyuz 25 [TMA-20])
  
• NASA astronaut Catherine Coleman, flight engineer (Soyuz 25 [TMA-20])
  
• European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli (Soyuz 25 [TMA-20])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Alexander Samokutyayev (Soyuz 26 [TMA-21])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Andrei Borisienko (Soyuz 26 [TMA-21])
  
• NASA astronaut Ron Garan (Soyuz 26 [TMA-21])

  Coleman and Nespoli also are members of the Expedition 26 crew.

  Expedition 28 (begins with Soyuz 25 [TMA-20] undocking):

• Russian cosmonaut Andrei Borisienko, station commander (Soyuz 26 [TMA-21])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Alexander Samokutayev (Soyuz 26 [TMA-21])
  
• NASA astronaut Ron Garan (Soyuz 26 [TMA-21])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov (Soyuz 27 [TMA-02M])
  
• NASA astronaut Mike Fossum (Soyuz 27 [TMA-02M])
  
• JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa (Soyuz 27 [TMA-02M])

  Expedition 29 (begins with Soyuz 26 [TMA-21] undocking):

• NASA astronaut Mike Fossum, station commander (Soyuz 27 [TMA-02M])
  
• JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa (Soyuz 27 [TMA-02M])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov (Soyuz 27 [TMA-02M])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov (Soyuz 28 [TMA-22])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Sergei Revin (Soyuz 28 [TMA-22])
  
• NASA astronaut Dan Burbank (Soyuz 28 [TMA-22])

  Expedition 30 (begins with the Soyuz 27 [TMA-02M] undocking):

• NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, station commander (Soyuz 28 [TMA-22])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov (Soyuz 28 [TMA-22])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Sergei Revin (Soyuz 28 [TMA-22])
  
• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko (Soyuz 29 [TMA-03M])
  
• European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers (Soyuz 29 [TMA-03M])
  
• NASA astronaut Don Pettit (Soyuz 29 [TMA-03M])

  Expedition 31 (begins with the Soyuz 28 [TMA-22] undocking):

• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, station commander (Soyuz 29 [TMA-03M])
  
• ESA astronaut Andre Kuipers (Soyuz 29 [TMA-03M])
  
• NASA astronaut Don Pettit (Soyuz 29 [TMA-03M])

Three additional crew members for Expedition 31 have yet to be assigned. They will travel to and from the station aboard Soyuz 30.

posted 11-09-2009 08:01 PM               

Three additional crew members for Expedition 31 have yet to be assigned. They will travel to and from the station aboard Soyuz 30.

posted 11-17-2009 07:43 PM               

Selection of Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide as a Member of the ISS Expedition Crew

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency would like to announce that Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide has been selected as a crew member for the 32nd/33rd Expedition Mission at the International Space Station. Once there, he will engage in space activities mainly for space environment utilization, including scientific experiments coordinated by Japanese scientists and international partners at the ISS.

Astronaut Hoshide is currently continuing his astronaut training after achieving success with the 1J mission on the space shuttle Discovery (STS-124 mission, June 2008.) He is also contributing to ISS operations as a Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) at the NASA mission Control Center, communicating with crew on board the ISS.

posted 12-10-2009 05:53 PM               

Assigned to a long duration mission, she will serve as back-up to Expedition 30 and will be prime for Expedition 32, targeted for launch in the spring of 2012.

posted 01-16-2010 01:41 PM               

Expedition 31 (March 15 - May 16, 2012)

• Oleg Kononenko
  
• Gennady Padalka
  
• Konstantin Valkov
  
• Joseph Acaba
  
• Andre Kuipers
  
• Donald Petitt

• Gennady Padalka
  
• Konstantin Valkov
  
• Joseph Acaba
  
• Yuri Malenchenko
  
• Akihiko Hoshide
  
• Sunita Williams

• Sunita Williams
  
• Roman Romanenko
  
• Sergei Revin
  
• US ASTRONAUT
  
• Yuri Malenchenko
  
• Akihiko Hoshide

posted 07-08-2010 03:06 PM               

NASA And Partners Assign Crews For Upcoming Space Station Missions

NASA and its international partners, the Russia Federal Space Agency Roscosmos and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), have assigned four new International Space Station crews.

The crews include NASA astronauts Joe Acaba, Sunita Williams and Kevin Ford. Acaba was born in Inglewood, Calif., and raised in Anaheim, Calif. Williams was born in Euclid, Ohio, but considers Needham, Mass., her hometown. Ford was born in Portland, Ind., and considers Montpelier, Ind., his hometown.

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Konenenko, European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers and NASA astronaut Don Pettit were previously announced as Expedition 31 crew members. Expedition 31 begins when Soyuz 28 [TMA-22] undocks from the station in March 2012.

Soyuz 30 [TMA-04M] is set to launch in April 2012 with the following crew members who have been added to Expedition 31:

• NASA astronaut Joe Acaba, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Konstantin Valkov, flight engineer

Expedition 32 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 29 [TMA-03M] in May 2012. Soyuz 31 [TMA-05M] is set to launch in June 2012 with the crew members listed below who will join the three station residents already aboard.

• Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, station commander
  
• NASA astronaut Joe Acaba, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Konstantin Valkov, flight engineer
  
• NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, flight engineer
  
• JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, flight engineer

Expedition 33 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 30 in September 2012. Soyuz 32 [TMA-07M] is set to launch in October 2012 with the crew members listed below who will join the three station residents already aboard.

• NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, station commander
  
• Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, flight engineer
  
• JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, flight engineer
  
• NASA astronaut Kevin Ford, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Evgeny Tarelkin, flight engineer

Expedition 34 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 31 in November 2012.

• NASA astronaut Kevin Ford, station commander
  
• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Evgeny Tarelkin, flight engineer

Three additional crew members for Expedition 34 have yet to be assigned. They will travel to and from the station aboard Soyuz 33 [TMA-08M].

posted 09-02-2010 08:55 AM               

NASA and Its Partners Announce a New Space Station Crew

NASA and its international partners have assigned three new International Space Station crew members. They are targeted to launch to the station in November 2012 aboard the Russian Soyuz 33 [TMA-08M] spacecraft.

NASA astronaut and Statesville, N.C., native Tom Marshburn, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield and Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko will serve as flight engineers for the Expedition 34 mission.

NASA astronaut Kevin Ford and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin were previously announced as the other crew members for Expedition 34, which begins when Soyuz 31 [TMA-05M] undocks from the station in October 2012.

Expedition 35 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 32 [TMA-07M] in March 2013. At that time, Hadfield will serve as station commander, with Marshburn and Romanenko continuing as flight engineers.

Three additional crew members for Expedition 35 have yet to be assigned. They will travel to the station aboard Soyuz 34 [TMA-09M] in March 2013.

posted 01-30-2011 05:36 PM               

Joining him will be Oleg Kotov and Sergei Ryazansky.

posted 01-31-2011 06:51 PM               

• Exp. 30: Kononenko, Pettit, Kuipers. TMA-03M.
  
• Exp. 31: Padalka, Valkov, Acaba. TMA-04M
  
• Exp. 32: Malenchenko, S. Williams, Hoshide. TMA-05M
  
• Exp. 33: Novitski, Tarelkin, Ford. TMA-06M
  
• Exp. 34: Romanenko, Marshburn, Hadfield. TMA-07M
  
• Exp. 35: Vinogradov, Misurkin, Cassidy. TMA-08M
  
• Exp. 36: Suraev, Nyberg, Parmitano. TMA-09M
  
• Exp. 37: Kotov, Ryazansky, Hopkins. TMA-10M
  
• Exp. 38: Tyurin, Mastracchio, Wakata. TMA-11M

posted 02-16-2011 06:02 PM               

Astronaut Koichi Wakata Selected as Member of ISS Expedition Crew

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) would like to announce that Astronaut Koichi Wakata has been selected as a crewmember for the 38th/39th Expedition Mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Astronaut Wakata stayed at the ISS for about four months in 2009, and, after returning to Earth, he has been engaged in the ISS operations as the chief of ISS Operations Branch in NASA and also as the manager of the JAXA Astronaut Group, while he has been continuing his astronaut training.

Astronaut Wakata's leadership has been highly appraised and recognized domestically and internationally, thus he will exercise his capability as the first Japanese commander for the 39th ISS Expedition Mission.

• Period of stay at the ISS:
  About 6 months from the end of 2013

• Transportation means to the ISS:
  Launch and return by Soyuz

• Major tasks at the ISS:
  During the first four months for the 38th Expedition Mission, he will be in charge of ISS operations as a flight engineer, science experiments using the space environment, and system operations for the ISS facilities including the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo." For the 39th Expedition Mission (about two months), he will be the ISS commander in addition to the above duties. The responsibilities of the ISS commander are to ensure the safety of all ISS expedition crewmembers and to succeed in all missions.

• Astronaut Wakata's schedule until his departure:
  He will begin training necessary for the Soyuz trip and ISS expedition missions in March 2011.

JAXA President's Comment on the Selection of Astronaut Koichi Wakata as a Member of the ISS Expedition Crew

It is a great pleasure and privilege for me to introduce Astronaut Koichi Wakata to you as a Japanese astronaut to be assigned to stay at the International Space Station (ISS) for a prolonged period. This is the fifth assignment for the Japanese astronaut to reside at the ISS.

Astronaut Wakata was the first Japanese astronaut to stay at the ISS for an expedition mission. He successfully achieved his manned space activities of about four and half months during which he contributed to completing the assembly of Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" of the ISS in July 2008. His achievements were highly praised and recognized domestically and internationally, thus he was assigned as the chief of ISS Operations Branch in NASA after he returned to the Earth as his leadership exhibited during his expedition was highly evaluated.

Astronaut Wakata will be the first Japanese ISS commander, and I firmly believe that he will fulfill such an important role based on his abundant experience and trustworthiness.

I would like to express my profound appreciation to all people and parties concerned in the selection this time.

Keiji Tachikawa
President
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

Determination to Become Expedition Crew

I am very honored yet also feel the heavy responsibility for being selected as a flight engineer for the 38th Expedition Mission as well as a commander for the 39th mission.

Astronauts Satoshi Furukawa and Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide are also slated for staying at the ISS for about six months from the end of May this year and June next year, respectively.

Japan has been steadily increasing its significance and contributions to the ISS project. The KOUNOTORI2, a cargo transporter to the ISS, successfully arrived at the ISS at the end of last month to carry necessary materials for ISS operations. The mission control team and researchers at the Tsukuba Space Center have also attained substantial achievements through the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo."

I am resolved to earnestly engage in preparation and training for space flight so that I will optimize my space expedition and utilization of the ISS based on my training and previous space flight experiences, as well as knowledge I acquired through JAXA's and NASA's management operations.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all people who have worked hard for my selection and who have been supporting me.

Koichi Wakata
JAXA Astronaut

posted 02-18-2011 10:40 AM               

NASA And Partners Name Upcoming Space Station Crew Members

NASA and its International Space Station partners named crew members for missions aboard the complex that begin in 2013.

The crews include NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn of Statesville, N.C., who previously was announced as part of Expedition 34; Chris Cassidy, who was born in Salem, Mass., and considers York, Maine his hometown; Karen Nyberg, a native of Vining, Minn.; Michael Hopkins, who was born in Lebanon, Mo., and grew up in Richland, Mo.; and Rick Mastracchio of Waterbury, Conn.

The 35th crew to live and work aboard the station, Expedition 35, will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 32 [TMA-06M] in March 2013. Soyuz 34 [TMA-08M] is scheduled to launch later that month with the three crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.

Soyuz 33 [TMA-07M]
• Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield, station commander
  
• NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, flight engineer

  Soyuz 34 [TMA-08M]

• NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, flight engineer

Expedition 36 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 33 [TMA-07M] in May 2013. Soyuz 35 [TMA-09M] is scheduled to launch that month with the three crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.

Soyuz 34 [TMA-08M]
• Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, station commander
  
• Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, flight engineer
  
• NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, flight engineer

  Soyuz 35 [TMA-09M]
  

• NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, flight engineer
  
• European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, flight engineer

Expedition 37 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 34 [TMA-08M] in September 2013. Soyuz 36 [TMA-10M] is scheduled to launch that month with NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins who will join the three station residents already onboard.

Soyuz 35 [TMA-09M]
• Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, station commander
  
• NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, flight engineer
  
• European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, flight engineer

  Soyuz 36 [TMA-10M]
  

• NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, flight engineer

Expedition 38 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 35 [TMA-09M] in November 2013. Soyuz 37 [TMA-11M] is scheduled to launch that month with the crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.

Soyuz 36 [TMA-10M]
• NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, flight engineer

  Soyuz 37 [TMA-11M]
  

• NASA astronaut Richard Mastracchio, flight engineer
  
• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, flight engineer

Expedition 39 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 36 [TMA-10M] in March 2014. At that time, Wakata will serve as station commander, and Mastracchio will be a flight engineer. The remainder of the Expedition 39 crew has yet to be assigned.

Additional Expeditions 37 and 38 crew members will be selected from the Russian cosmonaut corps and will be assigned at a later date.

posted 04-08-2011 12:45 PM               

In three years, Swanson will head up to the ISS for six months. He begins his training program this summer.

posted 09-18-2011 03:36 PM               

ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst to fly to Space Station in 2014

ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst has been assigned to fly to the International Space Station on a 6-month mission in 2014, serving as a flight engineer for Expeditions 40 and 41.

Alexander is the second of the new group of European astronauts, which graduated last November, to be assigned to a mission.

He will be launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in May 2014, returning to Earth in November 2014.

Today is an ideal day for the announcement: the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne has been buzzing with activity as around 100,000 visitors mingle on German Aerospace Day.

After conquering remote mountains and working in Antarctica, the 35year-old geophysicist and volcanologist will become the third German to visit the Station.

He will be accompanied by Russian Fyodor Yurchikhin, as Soyuz commander, and NASA astronaut G. Reid Wiseman.

Cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev and NASA astronaut Steven Swanson will also share part of the mission with Alexander as members of Expeditions 39 and 40.

Alexander's flight will be the sixth long-duration mission for an ESA astronaut.

"ESA Member States have decided to extend their support to the exploitation of the International Space Station up to 2020," said Thomas Reiter, ESA's Director for Human Spaceflight and Operations.

"The appointment of the new group of European astronauts to long-duration missions reflects the commitment of Member States.

"Alexander Gerst will pursue the European goals in a long fruitful German tradition.

"He will now get ready for the challenges ahead in 2014... and beyond."

Alexander says, "It is a great honour for me to get the chance to contribute to the long tradition of European and German space flight.

"This mission will be a positive challenge not only for me but for all the dedicated people working at ESA and the national space agencies, who make spaceflight possible through their passion and fascination.

"I am looking forward to flying to space on the shoulders of this gigantic team, to the boundaries of our capabilities and knowledge in order to venture out a little further and to shine some more light into the darkness.

"And just as much I am looking forward to returning to Earth six months later with a wide variety of important scientific knowledge and a new perspective on our planet, which I will then gladly share with you."

Busy time ahead

Alexander has completed pre-assignment training in Russia, the US and Canada.

Based at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, he will spend much of his time training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and at Star City, Moscow.

The next European to venture into space will be Andre Kuipers, who will be launched to the Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft not later than 26 December, according to the latest tentative manifest.

Next up will be Luca Parmitano, the first to be assigned from the new group of ESA astronauts. His mission, a flight opportunity provided by the Italian space agency, is planned to begin in May 2013.

All three ESA astronauts will stay aboard the Space Station for almost six months and work as flight engineers. Their responsibilities will include Station maintenance and scientific research, and possibly robotics and spacewalking activities.

posted 10-05-2012 09:23 AM               

Astronaut Kimiya Yui Selected as Member of ISS Expedition Crew

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) would like to announce that Astronaut Kimiya Yui has been selected as a crewmember for the 44th/45th Expedition Mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Astronaut Yui was selected as an astronaut candidate in February 2009, and then, certified as an ISS astronaut in July 2011 after completion of all basic training requirements. Since then, he has continued to maintain and improve his qualities as an ISS astronaut through various training such as the 16th NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO 16) conducted at the underwater laboratory in the United States.

For Astronaut Yui, this long duration stay aboard the ISS will be his first space flight.

posted 01-12-2013 04:30 PM               

Well, it's about as official as it is going to get. Assigned to Exp 44/45! Will fly with @Astro_Kimiya to ISS - launching May 2015!

posted 01-14-2013 03:27 PM               

NASA, Space Station Partners Announce Future Crew Members

NASA and its international partners have named several future International Space Station expedition crews. They include NASA astronauts Steve Swanson, Reid Wiseman, Barry Wilmore and Terry Virts.

Swanson was born in Syracuse, N.Y., but considers Steamboat Springs, Colo., his hometown. Wiseman is from Baltimore and is a commander in the U.S. Navy. Wilmore, a captain in the U.S. Navy, is from Mount Juliet, Tenn. Virts, a colonel in the U.S. Air Force, was born in Baltimore, but considers Columbia, Md., his hometown.

Swanson and his two Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) crewmates will join Expedition 39 in progress. That expedition will begin in mid-March 2014. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, the expedition's commander; NASA's Richard Mastracchio; and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin already will be aboard.

Swanson and his crewmates are scheduled to launch in late-March 2014. Expedition 39 will consist of the following crew members:

• Wakata, station commander
  
• Mastracchio, flight engineer
  
• Tyurin, flight engineer
  
• Swanson, flight engineer
  
• Alexander Skvortsov of Roscomos, flight engineer
  
• Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos, flight engineer

Expedition 40 will begin in mid-May 2014. The second half of the crew is scheduled to launch in late-May 2014. Expedition 40 will consist of the following crew members:

• Swanson, station commander
  
• Skvortsov, flight engineer
  
• Artemyev, flight engineer
  
• Wiseman, flight engineer
  
• Maxim Suraev of Roscosmos, flight engineer
  
• Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA), flight engineer

Expedition 41 will begin in September 2014. The remainder of the crew is scheduled to launch in October 2014. Expedition 41 will consist of the following crew members:

• Suraev, station commander
  
• Wiseman, flight engineer
  
• Gerst, flight engineer
  
• Wilmore, flight engineer
  
• Yelena Serova of Roscosmos, flight engineer
  
• Alexander Samoukutyaev of Roscosmos, flight engineer

Expedition 42 will begin in mid-November 2014. The other half of the team is scheduled to launch in late-November 2014. Once on the station, Expedition 42 will include the following crew members:

• Wilmore, station commander
  
• Serova, flight engineer
  
• Samoukutyaev, flight engineer
  
• Virts, flight engineer
  
• Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA, flight engineer

posted 07-11-2013 07:59 AM               

NASA, Space Station Partners Announce Future Crew Members

NASA and its international partners have assigned three International Space Station crew members to round out future expeditions to the orbiting laboratory.

NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, Japanese Exploration Aerospace Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian Federal Space Agency cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko are scheduled to launch in June 2015. They will join three Expedition 44 crew members in orbit and will remain aboard as part of Expedition 45.

The Expedition 45 crew will be:

• NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, station commander
  
• Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov, flight engineer
  
• NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, flight engineer
  
• Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, flight engineer
  
• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, flight engineer

Lindgren, a board-certified emergency and aerospace medicine physician, joined the astronaut corps in 2009 and worked as a NASA flight surgeon before his selection. He was born in Taiwan and spent some time in the Midwestern United States, but spent most of his youth in England. He holds a bachelor's degree in biology, a master's degree in cardiovascular physiology and a doctorate in medicine. At the U.S. Air Force Academy, he was an instructor, jumpmaster and member of the "Wings of Blue" parachute team. He also conducted cardiovascular countermeasure research at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.

Yui was born in Nagano, Japan. He received degrees from the Graduate School of Science and Engineering, National Defense Academy of Japan, in March 1992. He served in the Japan Air Self Defense Force until his selection as an astronaut candidate by JAXA in February 2009. He has participated in two years of astronaut candidate training at NASA, which included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction on the space station's systems, spacewalking, robotics, physiological training, flight training using a T-38 jet trainer and water and wilderness survival training. Yui also participated in the 16th NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations off the coast of Key Largo in Florida in June 2012.

Oleg Kononenko was selected to join the cosmonaut corps in 1996, and he completed his initial training in 1998. His first spaceflight was as a flight engineer for Expedition 17 in 2008. Kononenko launched to the International Space Station for his second mission in December 2011 and returned to Earth in July 2012. He spent a total of 193 days in space, 191 of which were aboard the station as a part of Expeditions 30 and 31. During Expedition 31, Kononenko served as both the station commander and Soyuz commander. During the course of his two missions, Kononenko has spent 393 days in space.

posted 08-05-2013 11:27 AM               

Williams was a mission specialist on STS-101/Atlantis in 2000, a flight engineer on ISS Exp. 13 in 2006 and a flight engineer on Exp. 21 and commanded Exp. 22 between September 2009 and March 2010.

"After the flight in 2010, it took about three years to warm-up to the idea," says Williams.

posted 08-28-2013 09:32 AM               

Andreas Mogensen set for Soyuz mission to Space Station in 2015

ESA's Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen has been assigned to be launched on a Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in September 2015 for a mission to the International Space Station.

This 10-day mission will be Andreas's first flight into space and the first ever space mission by a Danish astronaut.

The flight is directly connected to the new era in ISS operations: two experienced spacefarers from the USA and Russia will work on the Station for one year from May 2015. During his stay onboard the ISS, he will conduct a series of experiments preparing future missions and testing new technologies.

"I'm happy to announce this mission as this is already the fifth flight assignment for the class recruited in 2009," said Thomas Reiter, ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations.

"With first of the new class, Luca Parmitano, currently working on the Space Station, and three other astronauts already training for their imminent missions, ESA's new astronauts are very busy.

"Thanks to the decisions of the Member States at the Ministerial Council last November, we will be able to fulfil our commitment to fly all six newly selected astronauts before the end of 2017," said Mr Reiter.

"This mission is the fulfilment of a life-long dream and the culmination of many years of hard work and training," said Andreas Mogensen.

"I am excited to be able to participate in ESA's outstanding programme of science and technology development on board the International Space Station and I am honoured to represent Denmark and Europe in space. The mission is a unique opportunity for Europe to develop and test the technologies necessary for the future of human space exploration."

New technology and science mission

The launch of the mission will take place on 30 September, 2015 with the launch of Soyuz TMA-18 (44S) and it will end on 10 October, when Andreas will land with Soyuz TMA-16 (42S).

During his flight, Andreas will test novel ways of interaction between the ground and space crews with a mobile device that allows astronauts to operate it hands-free and with several multi-user communication techniques. The system will have also advanced 3D visualisation and augmented reality –features that will be fully exploited with added wearable computers and cameras to allow the general public to follow activities on the ISS 'through the eyes of an ESA astronaut' potentially in real time.

Andreas's short mission is an excellent opportunity for several science studies, particularly in life science. By adding samples and measurements from a short-duration mission astronaut to material gathered and being collected during long-duration missions, the value of the biomedical statistics is increased. All the instrumentation needed for physiology, biology and material science experiments is already available in the Columbus laboratory and samples can be returned quickly back to Earth for further analysis.

A short-duration mission is also perfect for testing a new generation of health sensors, vital measurement devices and electro-muscle-mobility devices. These have direct benefit for future exploration missions and even sooner on Earth, for instance with operators of heavy machinery or with rehabilitation after sports injuries.

Andreas will be specially suited too: he will assess a new 'skinsuit' during normal daily activities. This is tight garment made from elastic material mimicking Earth gravity and thus passively mitigating deconditioning of an astronaut's body during spaceflight.

Along with the Soyuz arrival, the ISS will host up to nine persons for a while – a record that has not been broken since retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011.

Between Luca's ongoing mission and flight of Andreas in 2015, ESA astronauts Alexander Gerst and Samantha Cristoforetti, are scheduled for launch in 2014 for long-duration missions to the Station. After Andreas, the next European destined for space will be Tim Peake, who will start his long-duration mission on the ISS as a member of the Expedition 46/47 in December 2015.

High-flying engineer

This new technology packed mission will be a dream flight for an aerospace engineer like Andreas. Not only will the mission include many firsts and demonstrations, but also Andreas will fly as the flight engineer in the 'left seat' of Soyuz, making him second-in-command of their vehicle.

Andreas was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 2 November 1976, and he received a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from Imperial College London, UK, in 1999, followed by a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas, Austin, USA, in 2007.

He was selected as an ESA astronaut in May 2009 and completed the astronaut basic training programme in November 2010 with the five other astronauts of the 2009 class. Andreas is a qualified Eurocom at the Columbus Control Centre in Munich, where he has been communicating with the astronauts on the International Space Station.

In addition to his training and work activities, Andreas worked for ESA on the Lunar Lander programme at ESTEC, Noordwijk, the Netherlands, where he was involved in the design of the guidance, navigation and control system for a precision lunar landing.

From his homebase at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, Andreas will start his mission training with the partners of the International Space Station. This will take him to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, USA, and Star City, near Moscow, Russia, as well as Japan and Canada.

Andreas blogs about space exploration and his astronaut training activities in Danish here.