The Expedition 38/39 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City Russia.

With the statue of Vladimir Lenin serving as a backdrop, the Expedition 38/39 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures October 26 at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. From left to right are prime Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, prime Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin, prime Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA and the backup crewmates, Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, Max Suraev and Greg Wiseman of NASA. After the photo opportunity, the crewmembers flew to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final preparations for the launch of Tyurin, Wakata and Mastracchio Nov. 7, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station.

NASA/Stephanie Stoll