Prime and backup crewmembers raise the flags of the Netherlands the United States and Russia as part of their pre-launch preparations.

At their crew quarters at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 30 prime and backup crewmembers raise the flags of the Netherlands, the United States and Russia Dec. 10, 2011 in a traditional ceremony as part of their pre-launch preparations. From left to right are Expedition 30 prime Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency who is a native of the Netherlands, prime Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko, backup Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko, prime NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit, and backup NASA Flight Engineer Suni Williams. Pettit, Kononenko and Kuipers will launch to the International Space Station on Dec. 21 on their Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft.

Credit: NASA