Russian ground crews are preparing a Soyuz spacecraft for launch Tuesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to ferry three fresh crew members — a veteran Russian cosmonaut, an Italian test pilot and an American shuttle veteran — to the International Space Station. 11 Photos Boosting the lab’s staff back to six, the Expedition 36/37 crews face a busy stay in space highlighted by a full slate of scientific research, six spacewalks, the arrival of multiple cargo ships carrying critical supplies and, in early November, the Olympic torch, which will herald the 2014 Winter Games at Sochi, Russia, in February. “I’m very much looking forward to living there,” said astronaut Karen Nyberg, who visited the station during a 14-day shuttle flight in 2008 Continue reading →