As Expedition 59 readies for launch on March 14 to the International Space Station, here are a few fun facts about the crew and what their expedition has in store.

 

#3:

There are three astronauts heading to the International Space Station to kick off Expedition 59. NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin are set to launch to the space station on March 14, where they will live and work in space for about six months.

From left to right: NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and NASA astronaut Nick Hague. Image Credit: NASA

#2:

Two female astronauts will perform the first ever all-female spacewalk. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch will be the first female duo in history to perform a spacewalk together, which is currently slated for March 29. While McClain has been in space since December 2018, Koch will join her shortly.

Left: NASA astronaut Anne McClain. Right: NASA astronaut Christina Koch. Image Credit: NASA

#1:

The International Space Station is the one and only orbiting laboratory. Station allows crew members to conduct scientific research in microgravity—something that cannot be replicated on Earth. 

During Expedition 59, researchers will use tissue chips to study changes in the human body caused by microgravity, conduct research on regolith simulants in the Hermes research facility, test free-flying robots inside the station and study the complex dynamics of the Earth’s atmospheric carbon cycle using the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 space instrument.

NASA astronaut Anne McClain works on the CASIS Protein Crystal Growth-16 experiment. Image Credit: NASA

Victoria Ugalde

NASA Johnson Space Center