Expedition 40

Expedition 40 was the 40th expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), launched on May 28, 2014, with Soyuz TMA-13M carrying Alexander Gerst, Maxim Suraev, and Gregory R. Wiseman to the ISS, where they joined Steven Swanson, Alexander Skvortsov, and Oleg Artemyev, who had arrived earlier on Soyuz TMA-12M. The crew members were from NASA, Roscosmos, and the European Space Agency (ESA), and they conducted a wide range of scientific experiments and spacewalks during their stay on the ISS, including research on NASA's Robonaut and European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory. The expedition was a significant milestone in the history of the ISS program, which was established through the Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement between NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA.

Expedition 40

The Expedition 40 crew members were launched to the ISS on Soyuz TMA-13M and Soyuz TMA-12M from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and they spent approximately six months on the ISS, conducting scientific research and performing maintenance tasks, in collaboration with NASA's Johnson Space Center, Roscosmos's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, and ESA's European Astronaut Centre. During their stay, they were visited by several SpaceX Dragon and Orbital Sciences Cygnus spacecraft, which brought cargo and supplies to the ISS, including equipment from NASA's Ames Research Center and ESA's Guiana Space Centre. The crew members also participated in a number of educational events and outreach activities, including a Google Hangout with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain.

Crew

The Expedition 40 crew consisted of six members: Steven Swanson and Gregory R. Wiseman from NASA, Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev from Roscosmos, and Alexander Gerst from the European Space Agency (ESA), who were trained at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Roscosmos's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, and ESA's European Astronaut Centre. The crew members were highly experienced and had previously flown on several Space Shuttle missions, including STS-117 and STS-124, and had worked with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, ESA's European Space Operations Centre, and Roscosmos's Mission Control Center. They were supported by a team of engineers and scientists from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Roscosmos's Energia Rocket and Space Corporation, and ESA's Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration.

Mission Overview

The Expedition 40 mission was a long-duration stay on the ISS, during which the crew members conducted a wide range of scientific experiments and research activities, including studies on NASA's Veggie and ESA's MELISSA projects, in collaboration with NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Roscosmos's Baikonur Cosmodrome, and ESA's Guiana Space Centre. The crew members also performed several spacewalks, known as EVAs, to maintain and upgrade the ISS systems, including the installation of new NASA's External Active Thermal Control System and ESA's Columbus laboratory equipment, with support from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and Roscosmos's TsNIIMash. The mission was an important step in the development of the ISS program, which has been supported by NASA's Space Shuttle program, Roscosmos's Soyuz program, and ESA's Ariane program.

Scientific Research

The Expedition 40 crew members conducted a wide range of scientific experiments and research activities during their stay on the ISS, including studies on microgravity, space weather, and the human body in space, in collaboration with NASA's Ames Research Center, Roscosmos's Institute of Biomedical Problems, and ESA's European Space Research and Technology Centre. They used a variety of equipment and facilities, including NASA's Destiny laboratory, ESA's Columbus laboratory, and Roscosmos's Zvezda service module, to conduct experiments on plant growth, animal behavior, and materials science, with support from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, ESA's European Space Operations Centre, and Roscosmos's Mission Control Center. The crew members also participated in a number of educational events and outreach activities, including a NASA Social with NASA's Associate Administrator for Education and ESA's Director of Human and Robotic Exploration.

Spacewalks

The Expedition 40 crew members performed several spacewalks, known as EVAs, during their stay on the ISS, including a spacewalk by Steven Swanson and Alexander Skvortsov to replace a NASA's External Active Thermal Control System pump, and a spacewalk by Gregory R. Wiseman and Alexander Gerst to install new ESA's Columbus laboratory equipment, with support from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and Roscosmos's TsNIIMash. The spacewalks were an important part of the mission, as they allowed the crew members to maintain and upgrade the ISS systems, and to conduct scientific experiments and research activities, in collaboration with NASA's Johnson Space Center, Roscosmos's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, and ESA's European Astronaut Centre. The crew members were trained to perform spacewalks using NASA's Extravehicular Mobility Unit and Roscosmos's Orlan spacesuit, and they used a variety of tools and equipment, including NASA's Pistol Grip Tool and ESA's European Robotic Arm, to complete their tasks.