Expedition 11 Preps for Departure

The Expedition 11 crew is nearing the end of its six-month mission aboard the international space station. Commander Sergei Krikalev and Flight Engineer and NASA Science Officer John Phillips will return to Earth aboard a Soyuz TMA spacecraft Monday.

Since Expedition 12 arrived Oct. 3, Krikalev and Phillips have been briefing the new crew on station operations and science activities.

The new crewmembers — Commander Bill McArthur and Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev — will mark the fifth anniversary of a human presence aboard the station next month. They will stay on the orbital outpost until next April.

Spaceflight Participant Greg Olsen, who arrived at the station with Expedition 12 under a contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency, has been conducting experiments during his eight-day stay. He will return to Earth with Expedition 11.

NASA TV will carry the undocking and landing live. The Soyuz will undock Monday at 5:43 p.m. EDT and land in Kazakhstan at 9:09 p.m.