The prime and backup crews preparing for launch to the International Space Station.

At the Korolev Museum in the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the prime and backup crews preparing for launch to the International Space Station to round out the Expedition 30 crew pose for pictures December 16, 2011 as they wrap up training for launch on Dec. 21 on the Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft. From left to right are backup Flight Engineer Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, backup Flight Engineer Suni Williams of NASA, backup Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko, the host greeting the crew in the museum, prime Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko, prime Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency and prime Flight Engineer Don Pettit of NASA. Kononenko, Kuipers and Pettit will spend five and a half months on the complex.

Credit: NASA