Category Archives: Space Station

PUPILS at St Nicolas CE Junior School were over the moon after winning a competition to have their idea for an experiment run on the International Space Station.

The group of 11 children, dubbed The Kepler Kids, suggested using the stations computers to measure the magnetic force of Earth while in orbit after entering the European Astro PI Challenge.

The idea was shortlisted for the international competition meaning the seven- to 11-year-olds were then asked to write the computer code for the experiment, with the help of a programme provided by boffins at the ESA (European Space Agency).

And, after again impressing the ESA with the written code, their experiment was selected to run on the ISS along with four others from UK schools.

Deputy headteacher at St Nicolas CE Junior School, Kath Burns, said The Kepler Kids (named after the Kepler Space Observatory itself named after 17th-century astronomer Johannes Kepler) had worked exceptionally hard for the competition.

She said: The judges felt that our Mission 2 idea was one of the most original ideas they had seen, and we were congratulated on our amazing work.

It involved using the magnetometer, attached to the Pi, to measure the magnetic force of Earth, while orbiting Earth.

The children have coded the experiment which will run or fly on the International Space Station, by May 15 an achievement that many scientists can only dream of.

Its a unique and amazing prize.

The ESA received 180 entries from across the UK alone. Hopefully, this is the beginning of further achievements for our future top scientists.

The code will be run on the ISS before May 15, under the supervision of ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

The data collected will then be beamed back to the group to analyse at school.

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St Nicolas CE Junior School pupils win International Space Station competition - Newbury Weekly News Group

H.H. Sheikh Mohamed in Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander (centre left) and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai (centre right), at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai. Photograph courtesy of the Dubai Media Office.

Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander, launched on April 12, 2017, the UAE National Space Programme and approved the programmes strategy. The programme, which will be executed by young Emirati cadres, was announced on Wednesday during a visit by Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed to the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).

Crown Prince of Dubai HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also attended the tour that also included the launch of a satellite manufacturing complex as part of the MBRSC. The move is part of the UAEs ambitious space programme as it aims to reach Mars in 2021 and build the first human settlement on the Red Planet in 2117.

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) is set to launch the Hope spacecraft in July 2020 on a seven-month journey to the Red Planet. The UAE National Space Programme also includes a new programme to prepare Emiratis astronauts. Our national space programme is a solid platform to prepare Emirati cadres specialized in aerospace sciences, and qualify future generations that are able to contribute to humanitys knowledge, Mohammed bin Rashid said. We plan to send the first Emirati astronaut to space over the next few years, and starting from today, we are preparing the first Emirati and Arab astronaut to join scientists at the International Space Station.

Sheikh Mohammed said that the UAE space programme is a message to the Arab world that our sons are able to compete on the global level. Our objective is to show the world that we are able to contribute to humanity through quality knowledge and scientific discoveries, he said.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said that the UAE is making a new national leading achievement every day on all levels thanks to the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the vision of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid. We are very proud of Emirati youth playing a pivotal role in shaping an ambitious future for their own country and pursuing higher educations in the field of science and knowledge, he said.

Present during the tour were Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Mohammed Ahmad Al Bowardi, along with senior government officials.

Original published at: https://spacewatchme.com/2017/04/uae-send-astronauts-international-space-station-launch-national-space-programme/

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UAE to Send Astronauts to International Space Station, Launch National Space Programme - SpaceWatch Middle East (press release) (subscription) (blog)

Threeastronauts descended 250 miles to touch down in the desert near the city of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Monday. Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko, both Russian cosmonauts, and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough made a clean landing in theirRussian spacecraft, the Soyuz MS-02. Thanks to the accuracy of the descent the craft landed just as planned cameras were able to film the incoming capsule.

It was a textbook touchdown, Rob Navias, a NASA spokesman saidin TV commentary after the landing, as Space.com reported. The Soyuz was pulled by its main parachute onto its side, but the crew was quickly extracted and are in good shape.

The landing's precise nature was a testament to how far we've come since the early days of spaceflight. The second Americanin space, Gus Grissom, almost drowned in the Atlantic in 1961 when his capsule, Liberty Bell 7, plopped intothe ocean and began to flood with seawater. (He maintained that there was a malfunction, contrary to insinuations that he panickedand triggeredthe escape hatch too early.)Liberty Bell 7" sank,exiled to the ocean floor until a salvage boat recovered it in 1999.

There was no such indignity for the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft. The recent touchdown had more than a touch of drama the footage ends with an explosion of brown dust as the capsule's retrorockets fired but the astronauts can be seengrinning and shaking hands moments after personnel lift them out of the capsule.

A Russian spacecraft carrying three astronauts from the International Space Station landed 'on target' in Kazakhstan on Monday, April 10. The spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and cosmonauts Sergy Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of the Russian space agency landed safely in an open field. (Reuters)

With the Soyuz MS-02's return came the end of the International Space Station's Expedition 50.Kimbrough and his crewmates had logged173 days, just under half a year, in space on this mission.

Along the way, the astronauts on the space station completed 2,768 orbits of the planet a voyage of some73.2 million miles.

After the Soyuz undocked from the ISS, the station's Expedition 51 officially began. The Earthbound astronauts bid farewell to three colleagues who remained on the station: cosmonautOleg Novitskiy, the European Space Agency's Thomas Pesquet and NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who is now thefirst woman to command two missions aboard the ISS and who is about to set a record for spending more time in space than any other U.S. astronaut.

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Watch three space station astronauts make a bull's-eye landing in the Kazakhstan desert - Washington Post

Forbes

Axiom Aims To Build World's First Commercial Space Station - Forbes Forbes Axiom Space, a Houston-based commercial space startup, will build the world's first, privately-funded commercial space station --- an incredibly economical, ... Roscosmos considering prolongation of International Space Station ...Realnoe vremya Space News: Uranus and the International Space StationBlasting News How To Spot The International Space Station: When Will It Fly Over?International Business Times AFKInsider -Science Times all 8 news articles »

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Axiom Aims To Build World's First Commercial Space Station - Forbes - Forbes

The International Space Station will be visible from San Diego for brief periods of time for eight consecutive nights, beginning on Monday, April 10, NASA says.

The orbiting outpost can be seen with the naked eye, and will look like a shiny ball bearing as it tracks across the sky.

Projected viewing times:

Monday, April 10: Station will be visible for about one minute at 9:15 p.m. It will appear 10 degrees above the north-northwest horizon.

Tuesday, April 11: Visible for 2 minutes, starting at 8:24 p.m. Look 10 degrees above the northern horizon.

Wednesday, April 12: Visible for one minute at 9:07 p.m. Look 13 degrees above the north-northwest.

Thursday, April 13: Visible for four minutes, starting at 8:15 p.m. Look 11 degrees above the north-northwest. The station also will be visible for about one minute at 9:51 p.m. Look 11 degrees above the west-northwest.

Friday, April 14: Visible for one minute at 9 p.m. Look 27 degrees above he west-northwest.

Saturday, April 15: Visible for four minutes, starting at 8:08 p.m. Look 20 degrees above the northwest.

Sunday, April 16: Visible for three minutes, starting at 8:52 p.m. Look 13 degrees above the west.

Monday, April 17: Visible for four minutes, starting at 8:01 p.m. Look 32 degrees above the west.

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Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Universe Today

Space Station Trio Touches Down on Earth as NASA's Next Cargo Ship Targets Apr. 18 Blastoff Universe Today Comings and goings continue apace on the International Space Station! After living and working fruitfully for six months in space aboard the ISS, an international trio of astronauts and cosmonauts including NASA's Shane Kimbrough departed the orbiting ... NASA, Amazon to Live-Stream First 4K Ultra HD Video From SpaceVariety NASA Astronaut and Space Station Crewmates Return to Earth ...Kansas City infoZine Trailblazing astronaut to star in first ultra-high-definition livestream from spaceMashable GeekWire -TrustedReviews -AWS Live Stream all 38 news articles »

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Space Station Trio Touches Down on Earth as NASA's Next Cargo Ship Targets Apr. 18 Blastoff - Universe Today

BBC News

Space station crew return to Earth in Soyuz capsule BBC News NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough, and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko, landed on the Kazakhstan steppes in the Soyuz capsule at 11:20 BST. The crew spent 173 days in space and their landing was described by NASA as a ...

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Space station crew return to Earth in Soyuz capsule - BBC News

Igor Komarov (right), director general for the Russian national space agency Roscosmos, at the 33rd National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado on April 4, 2017.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Russia is ready to discuss extending the life of the International Space Station (ISS) to 2028, said Igor Komarov, director general of the Russian national space agency,Roscosmos.

Here at the 33rd annual Space Symposium yesterday (April 4), Komarov spoke about the need to maintain a research station in low Earth orbit if humans hope to eventually travel to Mars. He also discussed the agency's plans to send a new module to the space station in 2018, when the agency will also re-add a third crew member to the station.

In what he said was his first visit to the U.S. while serving in his current position, Komarov confirmed a proposal within the agency to build a new space station if the ISS is retired after 2024. Currently, the U.S. and Russia each manage and support half of the station, and other international collaborators contribute. Those countries have committed to financial support and maintenance of the station through 2024.

But Komarov also said Roscosmos is "ready to discuss" the possibility of extending the life of the station through 2028 with those international partners.

"I think we need to prolong our collaboration in low Earth orbit," Komarov said.

If the station were to be retired and no substitute were established, research taking place in low Earth orbit would take a significant hit. The loss of the station would more or less wipe out investigations into how the space environment affects the human body over long periods, which many space experts, including Komarov, agree is necessary if humans are to make the long journey to Mars.

Roscosmos has been working on an additional module for the space station, called the Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM), that the agency plans to launch in 2018, Komarov said. (A recent article in Popular Mechanics suggests there may be problems with the module, which was originally scheduled for launch in 2007 and again in 2013.) Once that module launches, Komarov said, the agency plans to raise the number of Russian cosmonauts on board the station from two to three; the agency recently reduced its crewmember count from three to two.

Roscosmos is also working on a science module and a docking module, Komarov said, and together, these three space rooms could form the core of an independent Russian station, SpaceNews reported in September of last year.

Komarov said the possibility of building a new station from the three modules is being discussed as a possible means of avoiding the loss of a laboratory in low Earth orbit if the ISS is retired in 2024.

"It doesn't mean we don't want to continue cooperation [with other countries]," he said. "We just want to be on the safe side. . We want to prolong and continue our research in low Earth orbit."

Russia, like the U.S., is interested in sending humans to Mars, Komarov said.

"Going to Mars is a great idea, and all nations and all agencies are interested [in it]," Komarov said. But he indicated that Russia is not just looking to plant its flag in Martian dust and return to Earth. Rather, the country seeks to establish a program that would support long-term human exploration of Mars. To accomplish that goal, Komarov emphasized the need for intermediary steps on the way to the Red Planet.

Developing a long-term human presence will require a practical, "step-by-step" program for reaching the Red Planet, Komarov said. Those steps include a human presence in low Earth orbit, then on the surface of the moon, then on Mars, and then to even more exotic or distant solar system destinations.

Many spaceflight experts have said that a consistent human presence in low Earth orbit provides a valuable training ground for astronauts who may go on to more distant destinations, including the moon or Mars. The space station provides a place for humans to develop the skills they'd need to survive in those locations, including growing fresh food, and exercising to prevent bone loss and muscle deterioration.

In 2015, Russia and the U.S. launched a joint mission to have two humans live on the station for a full year. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko returned to Earth on March 1, 2016, and NASA is starting to release the results of scientific studies on how the trip affected Kelly's body and psyche. (Russian cosmonauts have lived in space for longer periods in the past, but those people were not subjected to the extensive amount of testing that was applied to the astronauts in the One-Year Mission.)

The space station is an essential part of humanity's journey to Mars, but Komarov also emphasized the importance of using the moon as another stepping stone on that journey.

Spaceflight experts have discussed extensively the idea that space agencies or private companies should send humans back to the moon before sending them to Mars, primarily to test and develop the technologies necessary for keeping astronauts safe and healthy.

"We shouldn't be eager to go very fast ahead and skip some stages that we have to do," Komarov said earlier in the day while speaking on a panel comprising 15 leaders of national space agencies. He added that the agency is currently planning a robotic mission to the moon that will include an orbiter and a lander. He did not offer more details about that mission.

NASA's Constellation Program, which then-President Barack Obama canceled in 2010 would have sent humans back to the moon or cislunar space. Much of that program was repurposed into the agency's current program to build the Orion human space capsule and the Space Launch System rocket, both of which will help get humans to Mars in the first half of the 2030s, NASA officials have said.

The International Space Station is the largest structure in space ever built by humans. Let's see how much you know about the basics of this science laboratory in the sky.

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However, although NASA and private companies such as SpaceX and Boeing have made many exciting announcements about the prospect of sending humans to the Red Planet, the journey to Mars will require a very practical approach, Komarov said at the news conference.

"We need to understand that this is not an easy experiment," Komarov said. "There are a lot of issues that need to be solved by the people who are responsible.

"We want to bring people to Mars," he added. "They should be alive when they [reach] Mars. And when we want to get them back, they should be safe and healthy. So we need to solve some medical problems. We should create a closed-loop system to support life. And we need to resolve the problem of radiation."

Indeed, space radiation is a serious threat to astronauts who want to venture out of the protective sheath of Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field. Experts have discussed various strategies for how to reduce the radiation dose that astronauts would receive, but it remains one of the key roadblocks to sending humans to Mars and bringing them back safely.

"We need to be ready for the next step when we should go out of low Earth orbit, to the moon and to Mars," Komarov said.

Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

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Russia Open to Extending Life of International Space Station to 2028 - Space.com

Expedition 50 CommanderShane Kimbroughof NASA is among three crew members from theInternational Space Stationwho returned to Earth Monday, after 173 days in space. The three landed in Kazakhstan at approximately 7:20 a.m. EDT.

Also returning were Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of the Russian space agency Roscosmos. The three touched down southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan.

While living and working aboard the space station, the Expedition 50 crew members contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard the world-class orbiting laboratory. For example, theMicrogravity Expanded Stem Cellsinvestigation had crew members observe cell growth and other characteristics in microgravity. Results from this investigation could lead to the treatment of diseases and injury in space, and provide a way to improve stem cell production for medical therapies on Earth.

TheTissue Regeneration-Bone Defectstudy, a U.S. National Laboratory investigation sponsored by theCenter for the Advancement of Science in Space(CASIS) and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, studied what prevents vertebrates, such as rodents and humans, from regenerating lost bone and tissue, and how microgravity conditions impact the process. Results will provide a new understanding of the biological reasons behind a humans inability to regrow a lost limb at the wound site, and could lead to new treatment options for the more than 30 percent of the patient population who do not respond to current options for chronic, non-healing wounds.

During his time on the orbital complex, Kimbrough ventured outside the confines of the space station for four spacewalks. During thefirst two in January, Kimbrough installed adapter plates and hooked up electrical connections for six new lithium-ion batteries on the space station. The new lithium-ion batteries and adapter plates replaced nine nickel-hydrogen batteries used on the station to store electrical energy generated by the stations solar arrays. Kimbrough also took part intwo spacewalks in March, completing a variety of tasks including work to disconnect and then setup Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 following its robotic move, install two upgraded computer relay boxes on the stations truss and install shields and covers on several external station locations.

The returning crew members also welcomed four cargo spacecraft delivering several tons of supplies and research experiments. Orbital ATKs Cygnus spacecraft arrived to the station, shortly after the crew in October, delivering supplies to the orbiting laboratory. The sixth Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle launched to the station in December and delivered new lithium-ion batteries that were installed during a combination of robotics and spacewalks. A SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply spacecraft arrived to the station in February. A Russian ISS Progress cargo spacecraft also docked to the station in February.

Kimbrough now has spent 189 days in space on two flights. Borisenko now has 337 days in space on two flights. Ryzhikov logged 173 days in space on his first flight.

Expedition 51 continues operating the station, with NASA astronautPeggy Whitsonin command. Along with her crewmates Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency), the three-person crew will operate the station until the arrival of two new crew members. NASAs Jack Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch Thursday, April 20 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

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American, two Russians return from Space Station - The Salem News

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 9 (Reuters) - NASA's Peggy Whitson, soon to become the most experienced U.S. astronaut in terms of time spent in space, assumed command of the International Space Station on Sunday as two Russian crew members and an American prepared to fly back to Earth.

For Whitson, 57, it was her second stint in charge of the $100 billion station, a multinational project overseen by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Russian space agency Roscosmos.

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On April 24, Whitson will have spent more time in space than any other American astronant, surpassing the current U.S. record of 534 days held by NASA's Jeff Williams, 59. She already held records for the most time spent in space by a woman and for the most time spent spacewalking by a woman.

"She will set another record at this moment," the departing U.S. commander, Shane Kimbrough, said during a Sunday change of command ceremony aired on NASA TV. "She becomes the first two-time female commander of the International Space Station."

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Peggy Whitson

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The International Space Station (ISS) crew member Peggy Whitson of the U.S., waves before a space suit check at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, November 17, 2016. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The International Space Station (ISS) crew member Peggy Whitson of the U.S., walks for space suit check at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, November 17, 2016. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The International Space Station (ISS) crew member, Peggy Whitson of the U.S. speaks prior to the launch of Soyuz MS-3 space ship at Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, November 17, 2016. REUTERS/Dmitri Lovetsky/ Pool

The International Space Station (ISS) crew member Peggy Whitson of the U.S. is pictured before boarding spacecraft at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan 17 November 2016. REUTERS/Kirill Kudryavtsev/ Pool

The International Space Station (ISS) crew members Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France walk to board the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the launch at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan 17 November 2016. REUTERS/Kirill Kudryavtsev/ Pool

The International Space Station (ISS) crew member Peggy Whitson of the U.S. tests a space suit during the pre-launch preparations at Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan 17 November 2016. REUTERS/Yuri Kochetov/ Pool

The International Space Station (ISS) crew members (L-R) Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France walk from a hotel for a pre-launch preparation at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan November 17, 2016. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

Crew members of the International Space Station (ISS) expedition 50/51 Thomas Pesquet (L) of France, Peggy Whitson (R) of the U.S. and Oleg Novitsky of Russia pose for a picture as they attend an examination training session in Star City outside Moscow, Russia, October 25, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev

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Kimbrough and Russian crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko were scheduled to wrap up a 173-day mission on Monday, with a parachute landing in Kazakhstan at 7:21 a.m. EDT (1121 GMT).

Their replacements, NASA's Jack Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos, were due to arrive on April 20 at the station, which is in orbit about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

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International Space Station

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IN SPACE - OCTOBER 7: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this handout photo provided by the European Space Agency (ESA), German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst takes a photo during his spacewalk, whilst aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on October 7, 2014 in Space. Gerst returned to earth on November 10, 2014 after spending six months on the International Space Station completing an extensive scientific programme, known as the 'Blue Dot' mission (after astronomer Carl Sagan's description of Earth, as seen on a photograph taken by the Voyager probe from six billion kilometres away). (Photo by Alexander Gerst / ESA via Getty Images)

ZHEZKAZGAN, KAZAKHSTAN - MARCH 12: (Alternate crop of #465931716) In this handout provided by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 42 commander Barry Wilmore of NASA, Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Elena Serova of Roscosmos March 12, 2015 near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. NASA astronaut Wilmore and Russian cosmonauts Samokutyaev and Serova are returning after nearly six months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 41 and 42 crews. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)

STAR CITY, RUSSIA - MARCH 5: In this handout from the In this handout from National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA, (L to R) NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly is seen inside a Soyuz simulator at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) March 5, 2015 in Star City, Russia. The three are preparing for launch to the International Space Station (ISS) in the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 28, 2015. As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016. (Photo by /Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)

WALLOPS ISLAND, VA - OCTOBER 28: In this handout provided by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), The Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard suffers a catastrophic anomaly moments after launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA Wallops Flight Facility on October 28, 2014 on Wallops Island, Virginia. William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate and Michael Suffredini, NASA's International Space Station Program Manager also participated in the press conference via phone. Cygnus was on its way to rendezvous with the space station. The Antares rocket lifted off to start its third resupply mission to the International Space Station, but suffered a catastrophic anomaly shortly after lift off at 6:22 p.m. EDT. (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)

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The U.S. and Russian space agencies last week agreed to extend Whitson's mission by three months to fill in as the new crew's third member.

Russia is reducing its station cadre from three to two members until its new science laboratory is launched next year, the head of Roscosmos said at the U.S. Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, last week.

Whitson flew to the station in November with Russia's Oleg Novitskiy and France's Thomas Pesquet. The men were scheduled to fly back to Earth without Whitson on June 2.

She was due to return to Earth in September with Fischer and Yurchikhin, having amassed a career U.S. record of more than 665 days in orbit. Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, with 878 days in orbit, is the world's most experienced space flier. (Editing by Frank McGurty and Jonathan Oatis)

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NASA's Peggy Whitson takes command of space station - AOL