MISSION/STUDY INFORMATION

On June 3, 2018, the Expedition 55 commander, Anton Shkaplerov (RSA), will turn command over to Expedition 56 commander Andrew Feustal (NASA). Shortly thereafter, the Expedition 55 crew will undock their Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft from the International Space Station (ISS) and Expedition 56 will begin.

The Expedition 55 crew departing the ISS includes Shkaplerov, Scott Tingle (NASA), and Norishige Kanai (JAXA). Remaining on board will be Feustal, Oleg Artemyev (RSA), and Richard Arnold (NASA).

The three man crew will operate the station and tend ongoing science research while awaiting the arrival of the rest of the Expedition 56 crew. However, they are not expected to have to wait long.

Crewmates Alexander Gerst (ESA), Serena Auñón-Chancellor (NASA), and Sergey Prokopyev (RSA) are expected to launch aboard Soyuz MS-09 on June 6, 2018, arriving at the ISS on June 8. The full Expedition 56 crew will continue operating and maintaining the ISS while performing nearly 200 science research experiments and greeting, unpacking, and repacking multiple visiting resupply vehicles.

Expedition 56 is expected to end the first week in October 2018.