Image above: Space station residents wave to dignitaries in Russia during a live event Thursday. Credit: NASA TV

Expedition 11 prepares for departure

The Expedition 11 crew is nearing the end of its six-month mission aboard the international space station. Commander Sergei Krikalev U5MIR and Flight Engineer and NASA Science Officer John Phillips KE5DRY 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 KC5ACR 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, KC2OXN, 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.

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