Anton Shkaplerov studies systems manuals as he prepares to enter a Soyuz simulator for the second day of qualification exams.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 42/43 Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) studies systems manuals as he prepares to enter a Soyuz simulator October 31 for the second day of qualification exams. Shkaplerov, NASA Flight Engineer Terry Virts and European Space Agency Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti are preparing for launch in the Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Nov. 24, Kazakh time, for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station.

NASA/Stephanie Stoll