National Aeronautics and Space Administration

International Space Station

[MISSION SUMMARY]

EXPEDITION 33begins Sept. 17 and is scheduled to end Nov. 12. The next expedition aboard 

the International Space Station will be action-packed as astronauts welcome 

the first commercial resupply mission to the orbiting outpost by SpaceX and perform a variety of scientific experiments, including 

muscle atrophy research. 

Expedition 33 will continue to expand the scope of research aboard the 

space station, taking advantage of its unique microgravity environment. 

Experiments will include testing radiation levels on the orbiting outpost and 

how microgravity affects the spinal cord. The International Space Station 

Agricultural Camera will investigate dynamic processes on Earth, like melting 

glaciers, and seasonal changes and human impacts on the ecosystem. 

Expedition 33 crew members will perform more experiments that cover 

human research, biological and physical sciences, technology development, 

Earth observations and education. 

• Born: Portland, Ind., considers Montpelier, Ind., home

• Interests: Football (favorite team is Notre Dame)

• Spaceflights: STS-128, Exp. 33/34

Kevin Ford – Flight Engineer (NASA)

• Born: Tokyo, Japan

• Interests: Flying, rugby, football, swimming, 

snow skiing and traveling

• Spaceflights: STS-124, Exp. 32/33

• Twitter: @Aki_Hoshide

Akihiko Hoshide – Flight Engineer (JAXA)

(Ah-kee-hee-ko HO-shee-day)

• Born: Svetlovodsk, Ukraine

• Spaceflights: MIR OE-16, STS-106, Exps. 7, 16, 32/33

Yuri Malenchenko – Flight Engineer (Roscosmos)

(YU-ree Muh-LEN-chen-ko)

• Born: Euclid, Ohio, considers Needham, Mass., home

• Interests: Running, snowboarding, swimming, biking

and windsurfing 

• Spaceflights: Exps.14/15, 32/33

• Twitter: @Astro_Suni

Sunita Williams – Commander (NASA)

(Suh-NEE-tuh Williams)

• Born: Belarus, Russia

• Interests: Football, hunting, fishing and reading

• Spaceflights: Exp. 33/34 will be his first mission

Oleg Novitskiy – Flight Engineer (Roscosmos)

(OH-leg NO-vit-skee)

• Born: Pervomaisky, Russia

• Interests: Skydiving

• Spaceflights: Exp. 33/34 will be his first mission

Evgeny Tarelkin – Flight Engineer (Roscosmos)

(Ev-GEN-nee Tuh-REL-ken)

Soyuz TMA-06M • Launch: Oct. 23, 2012 • Landing: March 19, 2013

THE CREW:

Soyuz TMA-05M • Launch: July 14, 2012 • Landing: Nov. 12, 2012

THE SCIENCE:

New 

Discoveries 

on the 

Horizon
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Houston, Texas 77058

www.nasa.gov

NP-2012-09-024-JSC

International

Space Station

Mission

Summary

n Spinal Ultrasound (US National Lab)

This experiment investigates how microgravity affects the 

spinal cords of crew members. Sonographic Astronaut Vertebral 

Examination (Spinal Ultrasound) aims to use ground- and spacebased studies to better understand spinal changes during and after 

spaceflight. Ground-based pre- and post-flight MRI and high fidelity 

ultrasound, combined with in-flight ultrasound, will be used to 

illustrate and assign a mission health risk to microgravity-associated 

spinal changes for back pain and potential injury. This experiment 

will determine the accuracy of the ultrasound in analyzing the 

composition of the vertebrae and develop methodologies to alleviate 

potential health issues of crew members.

n SCAN Testbed (NASA) 

This experiment tests 

software used by ground 

mission planners to alter 

communication radios in orbit. 

Assessments will be made to 

test the ability to change the 

way radios communicate 

with ground controllers and 

whether or not there is an 

increase in data return.

n Crew Earth Observations (NASA) 

This experiment uses the space station crew to photograph naturaland human-made events on Earth. The photographs record changes 

to the planet’s surface over time, along with dynamic events such as 

floods, fires and volcanic eruptions.

n Monitoring Crew Member Immune Function (NASA)

This experiment assesses the adverse effects of spaceflight on 

the human immune system. Researchers collect and analyze blood, 

urine and saliva samples from crew members before, during and 

after spaceflight to monitor changes in the immune system.

n Integrated Resistance and Aerobic 

Training Study-Sprint (US National Lab)

This experiment evaluates the use of 

high-intensity, low-volume exercise 

training to minimize loss of muscle, bone 

and cardiovascular function in space 

station crew members during longduration missions.

NASA astronaut Mike Fossum, Expedition 

29 commander, performs a SPRINT leg 

muscle self scan in the Columbus laboratory 

of the International Space Station. 

n Tech Ed Satellite (NASA)

This experiment evaluates the functionality of the Iridium and 

Orbcomm in-orbit satellite phone networks. The in-orbit satellite 

phone systems will be examined through the use of a small CubeSat 

spacecraft launched from the Japanese Experiment Module-Small 

Satellite Orbital Deployer. Data from the experiment will be used 

to simplify infrastructure for future spacecraft phone system design 

and development.

The Expedition 33 patch depicts the International Space Station orbiting Earth and heading 

into the future. The national flags of the United States, Russia, and Japan represent the crew 

of Expedition 33. The five white stars represent the partners participating in the International 

Space Station Program: NASA, Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, Japan 

Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Russian Federal Space Agency.

THE MISSION PATCH:

SCAN Testbed hardware overview