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The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. A new trio of space flyers is gearing up to launch toward the International Space Station (ISS). Launching atop a Soyuz rocket, the crew in their Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft is slated to leave terra firma at 2:20 a.m. local Kazakh time Nov. 18 (3:20 p.m. EST / 20:20 GMT Nov. 17) from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The trio – Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson – will take the standard 34-orbit rendezvous path to the ISS rather than the quicker 4-orbit route. As such, the three will spend nearly two days inside the cramped capsule before arriving at the outpost on Nov. 19. Once aboard, they will reside there for some five months as part of Expeditions 50 and 51. The trio will join Roscosmos cosmonauts Andrei Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov as well as NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough to bring the ISS crew complement back up to six to round out the year. After the crew settles in, in December, the outpost will be gearing up for a busy period of visiting vehicle arrivals. Additionally, in January, a number at least two spacewalks will be performed to upgrade the space station’s batteries. Noteworthy, this will be the final time for at least a year that a six-person crew will form an expedition. Starting with MS-04, Russia will be reducing its station crew size from three to two, bringing the maximum to five. This reduction will continue until Russia launches its long-delayed science module, called “Nauka”, which is currently planned for late 2017 or early 2018. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. A new trio of space flyers is gearing up to launch toward the International Space Station (ISS). Launching atop a Soyuz rocket, the crew in their Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft is slated to leave terra firma at 2:20 a.m. local Kazakh time Nov. 18 (3:20 p.m. EST / 20:20 GMT Nov. 17) from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The trio – Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson – will take the standard 34-orbit rendezvous path to the ISS rather than the quicker 4-orbit route. As such, the three will spend nearly two days inside the cramped capsule before arriving at the outpost on Nov. 19. Once aboard, they will reside there for some five months as part of Expeditions 50 and 51. The trio will join Roscosmos cosmonauts Andrei Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov as well as NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough to bring the ISS crew complement back up to six to round out the year. After the crew settles in, in December, the outpost will be gearing up for a busy period of visiting vehicle arrivals. Additionally, in January, a number at least two spacewalks will be performed to upgrade the space station’s batteries. Noteworthy, this will be the final time for at least a year that a six-person crew will form an expedition. Starting with MS-04, Russia will be reducing its station crew size from three to two, bringing the maximum to five. This reduction will continue until Russia launches its long-delayed science module, called “Nauka”, which is currently planned for late 2017 or early 2018. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



A cat walks past a Soyuz space ship installed at a museum, at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Tuesday, November 15, 2016. The start of the new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on early Friday, Nov. 18 local time. The Russian rocket will carry French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky and U.S. astronaut Peggy Annette Whitson. (Photo by Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo)

A cat walks past a Soyuz space ship installed at a museum, at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Tuesday, November 15, 2016. The start of the new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on early Friday, Nov. 18 local time. The Russian rocket will carry French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky and U.S. astronaut Peggy Annette Whitson. (Photo by Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo)



Service towers lift towards Russia's Soyuz-FG booster rocket with the Soyuz MS-03 space ship that will carry new crew to the International Space Station (ISS) at the launch pad at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Monday, November 14, 2016. Start of the new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on early Friday, Nov. 18 local time. The Russian rocket will carry French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky and U.S. astronaut Peggy Annette Whitson. (Photo by Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo)

Service towers lift towards Russia's Soyuz-FG booster rocket with the Soyuz MS-03 space ship that will carry new crew to the International Space Station (ISS) at the launch pad at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Monday, November 14, 2016. Start of the new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on early Friday, Nov. 18 local time. The Russian rocket will carry French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky and U.S. astronaut Peggy Annette Whitson. (Photo by Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo)



The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



A policeman stands in front of the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, as it is ready to be transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

A policeman stands in front of the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, as it is ready to be transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



Policemen with a sniffer dog check a railway leading to the launchpad of the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

Policemen with a sniffer dog check a railway leading to the launchpad of the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is lifted on the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is lifted on the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is set on the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is set on the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



Policemen walk in front of the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France as it is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

Policemen walk in front of the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France as it is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



Cameramen cast shadows as they film the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, set on the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

Cameramen cast shadows as they film the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, set on the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for the next International Space Station (ISS) crew of Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Oleg Novitskiy of Russia and Thomas Pesquet of France, is transported from an assembling hangar to the launchpad ahead of its upcoming launch, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)



The supermoon rises behind the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft, ahead of its upcoming launch to the International Space Station (ISS), at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

The supermoon rises behind the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft, ahead of its upcoming launch to the International Space Station (ISS), at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan November 14, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)
16 Nov 2016 11:25:00