MISSION/STUDY INFORMATION

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

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

The three man crew continued operating the station and tending ongoing science research while awaiting the arrival of the rest of the Expedition 56 crew. Crewmates Alexander Gerst (ESA), Serena Auñón-Chancellor (NASA), and Sergey Prokopyev (RSA) launched aboard Soyuz MS-09 on June 6, 2018, arriving at the ISS on June 8.

The full Expedition 56 crew continued operating and maintaining the ISS while performing nearly 200 science research experiments and greeting, unpacking, and repacking multiple visiting resupply vehicles.

Expedition 56 ended October 4, 2018 with return of Feustal, Artemyev, and Arnold to Earth.