GCTC saw official presentation of ISS-51/52 mission program. The crew comprises Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin and Nicolay Tikhonov and NASA astronaut Mark T. Vande Hai.
ISS-49/50 back-up and ISS-51/52 main crew was approved by Interdepartmental Commission on cosmonauts selection and approval meeting taking place on June 22, 2015.
“I am glad to be the part of this crew. – Alexander Misurkin said. – This decision taken by commission coincided with my wishes”.
Mark Vande Hai said thet in this case the preparation will be very interesting. @I am longing to start training”, – he added.
On July 7, 2015, the crew will start water survival trainings.
For ISS-51/52 mission crew commander Alexander misurkin it will be the seond flight. His first half-a-year space flight he has performed in 2013 being Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft flight engineer. During that flight Alexander Misurkin performed three spacewalks spending about 20 hours in the open space.
For Nicolay Tikhonov who was qualified as test cosmonaut in summer 2009 this flight will be the first in space career.
Mark Vande Hai also has no experience of space flights. In June 2009 he became astronaut candidate and passed preparation trainings. From June 2012 to May 2013 he was the Director of NASA Office in GCTC.