On May 21 GCTC testing and Training complex of Baikonur spaceport opened its doors for Mass media representatives. Less than a week before the launch of Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft back-up and main crews of ISS 40/41 mission took part in traditional “mass media day” at Baikonur spaceport , thus the journalists got the unique opportunity to watch the final stage of pre-launch preparations.

This month the crews of ISS-41/42, ISS-42/43 and ISS-44/45 missions going to fly to the ISS in 2014 and 2015 have been having their preparation trainings in ESA and NASA.

On May 17 ISS-40/41 main and back-up crews took part in traditional events at Baikonur spaceport.

SS 40/41 main and back up crews left for Baikonur spaceport where they will be having final preflight trainings before the launch.

Following the results of examination trainings State Commission approved the main crew of new ISS mission consisting of Roscosmos cosmonaut Maksim Surayev, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman and ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst.

ISS-40/41 misson main and back-up crew members are passing their preflight examinations in GCTC.

ISS-40/41 mission main and back-up crews had a standard flight day training on Russian ISS segment simulator in GCTC.

Main and back-up crews of ISS-40/41 mission started passing exams. After examination session the cosmonauts and astronauts will have examinational trainings concluding their preflight preparations in Star City.

Russian Soyuz-ST booster with European scientific Earth remote sensing satellite was successfully launched from Kourou spaceport in French Guiana

British singer Sarah Brightman will fly to the ISS in autumn 2015 as a space tourist. She starts training in Russian GCTC not later than half a year before the launch of Soyuz TMA-18M.