National Aeronautics and Space Administration

International Space Station

EXPEDITION 41begins Sept. 10, 2014, and ends Nov. 10, 2014. This expedition will include

research projects focusing on biology, physical science and Earth and space science 

investigations. There are one Russian and two U.S. spacewalks planned during Expedition 41.

Seedling growth, observation of meteors entering Earth’s atmosphere and studies of animal 

biology and bone and muscle physiology define the research of Expedition 41. Model 

organisms, such as plant seedlings and small fish, traveling to the space station will help 

advance our body of scientific knowledge about the influence of microgravity on cells. 

Model organisms are non-human species with characteristics that allow them easily to be 

maintained, reproduced and studied in a laboratory. Taking these organisms to space allows 

for examination of growth and development and physiological, psychological and aging 

processes without the impact of gravity.

Soyuz TMA-14M • Launch: September 25, 2014 • Landing: March 2015

THE CREW:

Soyuz TMA-13M • Launch: May 28, 2014 • Landing: November 10, 2014

THE SCIENCE:

"What are 

some of the 

investigations 

that the crew is 

working on?"

[MISSION SUMMARY]

Born: Künzelsau, Germany

Interests: Climbing, fencing, hiking, mountaineering, 

running, scuba diving, skydiving, snowboarding, 

swimming

Spaceflights: Exps. 40 and 41 mark his first missions

Bio: http://go.nasa.gov/1oMphcb

Twitter: @Astro_Alex

Alexander Gerst (ESA) – Flight Engineer 

(GHUR-st)

Born: Baltimore, Maryland

Interests: Education, golf, running, woodworking

Spaceflights: Exps. 40 and 41 mark his first missions

Bio: http://go.nasa.gov/1cRNLtH

Twitter: @astro_reid

Vine: http://go.nasa.gov/1lE159e 

Reid Wiseman (NASA) – Flight Engineer

Born: Chelyabinsk, Russia

Interests: Fishing, reading, scuba diving, sports 

Spaceflights: Exps. 21, 22, 40

Bio: http://go.nasa.gov/1oMpqfv

Twitter: @Msuraev

Maxim Suraev (Roscosmos) – Flight Engineer

(Suh-RYE-ev)

Born: Mt. Juliet, Tennessee

Interests: Football, flying

Spaceflights: STS-129

Bio: http://go.nasa.gov/tdaz79 

Barry “Butch” Wilmore (NASA) – Flight Engineer

Born: Penza, Russia

Interests: Ice hockey, travel

Spaceflights: Exps. 27, 28

Bio: http://go.nasa.gov/1Ad0gxC 

Alexander Samokutyaev (Roscosmos) – Flight Engineer

(Sah-moe-koo-tee-YAH-yehv)

Born: Vozdvizhenka, Russia

Interests: Economics, flying

Spaceflights: Exps. 41 and 42 mark her first missions

Bio: http://go.nasa.gov/1AcZvVr 

Elena Serova (Roscosmos) – Flight Engineer 

(Suh-ROH-vuh)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Houston, Texas 77058

www.nasa.gov

NP-2014-08-010-JSC

International

Space Station

Mission

Summary

n Biological Research in Canisters-19 (BRIC-19)

BRIC hardware has supported a variety of plant growth investigations 

aboard the space station. The new BRIC-19 investigation will focus 

on the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings in 

microgravity. A. thaliana is a small flowering plant related to cabbage. 

Researchers hope to get a better 

understanding of how the growth 

responses of plants are altered by 

growth in microgravity. The seedlings 

will be preserved and returned to the 

ground for evaluation. While the BRIC 

hardware helps to maximize research 

and minimize space and crew time, 

it also adds to the collective body of 

knowledge about basic plant growth 

phenomena and may help improve 

growth and biomass production to 

benefit farming practices on Earth. 

n Meteor Composition Determination (Meteor)

Meteor is a new space station payload that will enable the first spacebased observations of meteors entering Earth’s atmosphere from space. 

Meteors are somewhat rare and are difficult to monitor from the ground 

because of Earth’s atmosphere. Meteor uses high-resolution video and 

image analysis of the atmosphere to ascertain the physical and chemical 

properties of the meteoroid dust, such as size, density and chemical 

composition. Since scientists usually identify the parent comets or 

asteroids for most meteor showers, the study of the meteoroid dust 

from the space station provides information about the parent comets 

and asteroids. Investigating the elemental composition of meteors adds 

to our understanding of how the planets developed, and continuous 

measurement of meteor interactions with Earth’s atmosphere could spot 

previously unforeseen meteors.

The Expedition 41 crew wrote the description that follows: Portraying the road of human exploration into 

our vastly unknown universe, all elements of the Expedition 41 patch build from the foundation, our Earth, 

to the stars beyond our solar system. The focus of our six-month expedition to the space station is Earth 

and its inhabitants, as well as a scientific look out into our universe. The distinguishing space station solar 

arrays reach onward and serve as the central element, with the icon of an atom underneath representing the 

multitude of research aboard that will bring new discoveries for the benefit of humanity. The sun is rising over 

Earth's horizon, spreading its light along the road of human exploration. Equipped with the knowledge and 

inspiration gained from the space station, our successful multinational cooperation will lead human space 

exploration to the moon, Mars, and ultimately, the stars. We are Expedition 41. Join us for the adventure. 

THE MISSION PATCH:

A view of seedling growth in a 

petri dish, grown in the Biological 

Research in Canisters hardware 

aboard the International Space 

Station. (NASA)

n Effects of Gravity on Maintenance of Muscle Mass in Zebrafish 

(Zebrafish Muscle)

The Zebrafish Muscle 

investigation will observe the 

effects of microgravity on the 

zebrafish, Danio rerio, a tropical 

freshwater fish belonging to 

the minnow family. The goal 

of the study is to determine 

whether zebrafish muscles 

weaken in microgravity similarly 

to human muscles, and if so, 

isolate the cause. Results 

from the Zebrafish Muscle 

investigation may help identify 

molecular changes involved in 

the deterioration of muscles 

exposed to microgravity. This 

data can help scientists develop new treatments for weakened muscles. 

The findings could potentially benefit patients on extended bed rest or 

with limited mobility. In addition, this information would aid researchers in 

developing countermeasures for muscle weakness in astronauts living in 

microgravity during extended missions. 

n Osteocytes and mechano-transduction (Osteo-4) 

The Osteo-4 study examines the effects of microgravity on the function of 

osteocytes, the most common cells in bone. These cells reside within the 

mineralized bone and can sense mechanical forces; but, researchers do 

not know how. This study allows, for the first time, direct analysis of the 

changes in the physical appearance and genetic expression of bone cells 

in mice living in microgravity aboard the space station. This investigation 

may significantly advance the knowledge of the role of mechanical 

forces, or lack thereof, on osteocyte functions and further enhance 

understanding of these cells. Results derived from this study could have 

significant implications for treatment of bone disorders related to disuse 

or immobilization such as osteopenia (low bone density), osteoporosis or 

even paralysis. This may also assist researchers in developing additional 

mechanisms to combat bone density loss in crew members living aboard 

the space station.

The Zebrafish Muscle study will 

observe the effects of microgravity 

aboard the International Space 

Station on the zebrafish. (Japanese 

Aerospace Exploration Agency)