Crew-11 astronauts commemorate 25 years of human presence in space

On November 2, 2023, the International Space Station (ISS) marked a significant milestone by celebrating 25 years of uninterrupted human presence. This remarkable achievement will take place while the Crew-11 mission is aboard the station, comprised of three astronauts from NASA and one cosmonaut from Russia. The Crew-11 astronauts, scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will lift off aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endeavor spacecraft powered by a Falcon 9 rocket. Their mission to the ISS is historic, as it coincides with the anniversary of the first crew arriving at the station two and a half decades earlier. Mike Fincke, the Crew-11 pilot and a seasoned NASA astronaut, expressed pride in the international collaboration that led to the construction of the ISS, stating he recalls its initial stages as mere pieces on the ground. Since the first crew's arrival, a total of 290 astronauts from 23 countries have conducted more than 4,000 experiments in microgravity, showcasing the importance of the ISS in advancing scientific knowledge and international cooperation in space exploration. The astronauts will spend the upcoming months in an environment where they can further their research and gain insights into how human beings adapt to long-term space missions. The Crew-11 mission, scheduled to launch on August 2, 2023, will feature astronaut Steven Cardman commanding the flight, with mission specialist Koichi Yui returning for a second expedition after a previous stay of 142 days aboard the ISS during expeditions 44 and 45. Additionally, Russian cosmonaut Andrei Platonov will participate in his inaugural spaceflight. The astronauts are expected to face a multitude of challenges as they adapt to their long-duration mission, with experiments designed to assess physiological and psychological changes in their bodies during this unique experience. One of the primary objectives of this mission is to study how astronauts acclimate to space over varying mission durations, an important consideration for future long-duration expeditions to destinations like Mars. This mission will also provide valuable data through simulated landing scenarios for potential human landings near the Moon's South Pole. The journey from Kennedy Space Center to the ISS will take approximately 39 hours, with the crew maintaining strict monitoring of their consumable resources to ensure a safe arrival. As they embark on this historic journey, they will take mementos like photographs to cherish during their time in space.