On January 2004, Vinogradov began training as the ISS Expedition 13 crew commander. The mission was launched aboard the Soyuz TMA-8 with Vinogradov and NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 29, 2006. Vinogradov served as the Soyuz commander. After two days of solo flight, Soyuz TMA-8 docked with the ISS on March 31, 2006. During their mission, Vinogradov and Williams hosted two NASA shuttle crews during their stay on board the ISS. visited the ISS between 6–15 July 2006. The main purposes of STS-121 were to test new safety and repair techniques introduced following the "Columbia" disaster as well as to deliver supplies, equipment and ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter from Germany to the ISS. Space Shuttle brought the P3/P4 truss and its solar wings to the ISS during its STS-115 mission from September 9 to 21. The Soyuz capsule carrying Vinogradov undocked from the ISS at 5:53 p.m. EDT on September 28, 2006, and landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan near Arkalyk at 9:13 p.m. EDT. Vinogradov was joined by NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams and Spaceflight Participant Anousheh Ansari. Vinogradov spent 182 days, 23 hours and 44 minutes in space on board the Soyuz spacecraft and the ISS.