National Aeronautics and Space Administration

International Space Station

EXPEDITION 59began in March 2019 and ends in June 2019. This expedition will include research investigations and technology demonstrations not possible on Earth to advance 

scientific knowledge of Earth, space, physical and biological sciences.

Soyuz MS-11 Launch: Dec. 3, 2018 • Landing: June 2019

THE CREW:

Soyuz MS-12 Launch: March 2019 • Landing: October 2019

During Expedition 59, researchers will use tissue chips to study 

changes in the human body caused by microgravity, conduct 

research on regolith simulants in the Hermes research facility, test 

free-flying robots inside the station and study the complex dynamics 

of the Earth’s atmospheric carbon cycle using the Orbiting Carbon 

Observatory 3 space instrument.

THE SCIENCE:

What are 

some of the 

investigations 

the crew 

operated?

Born: Türkmenabat, Turkmenistan

Spaceflights: Exp. 17, 30/31, 44/45

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2QviZ3S

Oleg Kononenko (Roscosmos) – Commander

[MISSION SUMMARY]

Born: Spokane, Washington

Interests: Weightlifting, rugby, golf, biking, 

high-intensity fitness training and running

Spaceflights: First flight 

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2s8ryrB

Twitter: @AstroAnnimal

Anne McClain (NASA) – Flight Engineer

Born: Saint-Lambert, Quebec

Interests: Mountaineering, cycling, skiing and sailing

Spaceflights: First flight 

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2VBcqAu

Twitter: @Astro_DavidS

David Saint-Jacques (CSA) – Flight Engineer

Born: Belleville, Kansas

Interests: Exercising, flying, snow skiing and scuba

Spaceflights: Soyuz MS-10 

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2Qz3qZ1

Twitter: @AstroHague

Nick Hague (NASA) – Flight Engineer

Born: Rybinsk, Russia

Spaceflights: Exp. 47/48, Soyuz MS-10

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2QAQBgu

Alexey Ovchinin (Roscosmos) – Flight Engineer

Born: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Interests: Backpacking, rock climbing, paddling and 

sailing

Spaceflights: First flight 

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2QCRHbX

Twitter: @Astro_Christina

Christina Koch (NASA) – Flight Engineer 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Houston, Texas 77058

www.nasa.gov

NP-2019-03-006-JSC

International

Space Station

Mission

Summary

■ Tissue Chips

A cutting-edge system for research is heading to the International 

Space Station, and could help save time and money for pharmaceutical 

development. Researchers are using a new technology called “tissue 

chips” that could offer more insights into predicting the effectiveness of 

potential pharmaceuticals in humans. Tissue chips are bioengineered 

devices that mimic the function of human organs. Fluid that mimics blood 

can be passed through the chip to simulate blood flow, and can include 

drugs or toxins. In microgravity, changes occur in human health and 

human cells that resemble accelerated aging and disease processes. This 

allows scientists to make observations over the course of a few weeks that 

might take months in a laboratory on Earth. This research may also help us 

advance tissue chip technologies for more efficient pharmaceutical testing 

on Earth, and could be used for understanding how diseases develop in 

healthy tissues. For more information, click here.

Astrobee 

Astrobee is NASA’s next generation of free-flying robots aboard the 

International Space Station. The self-contained, cube-shaped robots are 

designed to help scientists and engineers develop and test technologies 

for use in microgravity to assist astronauts with routine chores, and 

give ground controllers additional eyes and ears on the space station. 

The autonomous robots, powered by fans and vision-based navigation, 

perform crew monitoring, sampling, logistics management, and 

accommodate up to three investigations. They are operated remotely from 

the ground. For more information, click here. 

Hermes Facility

Hermes is an experimental microgravity facility that enables science 

experiments, microgravity exposure testing, testing of engineering 

components, testing of CubeSats, concept trials, and any payloads that 

fit within the Hermes design and operations constraints. It is open to 

any investigation that benefits from microgravity exposure. Hermes is a 

microgravity facility for regolith research. Future missions, crewed and 

robotic, that visit small bodies should know how to interact with a looselyaggregated surface. Best way to sample material? How do you set 

anchors? How do you safely move and process material for “living off the 

land”? What materials properties should you expect for the surface? How 

much will fly free when disturbed? Experiments housed in Hermes could 

help answer these questions. For more information, click here.

Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO-3) is a space instrument 

designed to investigate important questions about the distribution of 

carbon dioxide on Earth as it relates to growing urban populations and 

changing patterns of fossil fuel combustion. OCO-3 will observe the 

complex dynamics of the Earth’s atmospheric carbon cycle. OCO-3 

continues the global carbon dioxide record started by OCO-2, but 

adds complementary information with sampling at all sunlit hours, 

a unique feature of sampling from orbiting laboratory. In addition to 

global sampling, OCO-3 capabilities allow for targeted local mapping of 

emissions hotspots. Understanding carbon sources and sinks can help 

in forecasting and reducing the long term risks of increased atmospheric 

heat retention. OCO-3 also demonstrates how space platforms can be 

used to study the Earth’s atmosphere and its effects on climate. For more 

information, click here.

The Expedition 59 patch celebrates the International Space Station’s role as a microgravity science 

laboratory. The crew, made up of scientists, doctors, engineers and pilots, will conduct hundreds of 

experiments for the benefit of mankind and our fragile environment on planet Earth.

 The patch shape depicts the cupola windows. Through these windows, astronauts have made many 

significant observations of Earth’s ecosystems and they have discovered and documented real-time 

events like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

The position of the Earth at the top of the patch depicts where the Earth would be seen by an astronaut 

from the cupola. It represents the explorers’ unique perspective on his or her home. The image at the 

center of the patch is the station itself, the largest single structure humans have ever put into space, an engineering marvel. 

The station is overlaid on an atom, the basic building block of all matter. The atom has three electron orbits with the flags of Russia, the United 

States of America and Canada, representing the home countries of the Expedition 59 crew. Like electrons in an atom, international cooperation 

is the basic stabilizing force that enables large scale space exploration.

To achieve great deeds, humans from all across the globe must work together in peace with a shared vision. The Expedition 59 patch celebrates 

the massive scientific accomplishments of the space station while highlighting the importance of global teamwork in understanding our planet 

and continuing with bold exploration in the future.

THE MISSION PATCH: