Russian Cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin: Humankind should explore the Solar System and beyond

Alexander Misurkin

Alexander Misurkin. Image courtesy RIA Novosti and Ramil Sitdikov.

Russian astronaut Alexander Misurkin thinks humankind should not stop at the exploration of near-Earth space but rather go further in the universe, the explorer told RIA Novosti Tuesday.

"I think, we shouldn't limit ourselves to exploring the Earth's orbit. I, personally, would be interested in going to the outer space, exploring the asteroids, the Moon, and Mars. It's a natural development for me, we have no right to stop at the orbit of our planet," Misurkin said.

Misurkin was part of the international space station crew coming back to Earth in September 2013.

The astronauts carried out 45 scientific research tasks in the 166 days they spent on board of the station.

Fyodor Yurchikhin

Alexander Misurkin and Fyodor Yurchikhin went into open space working there for 7,5 hours hitting record time for a Russian-made spacesuit.

"Coming back to the orbit is a logical development, because astronaut training is extremely expensive for just one flight," he said expressing his willingness to participate in another space expedition.

Misurkin thinks that US sanctions on Russia can deal a heavy blow to space cooperation.

"I am more than sure that great achievements in space require collaborative work, there is no alternative here. I really hope this doesn't happen and we continue cooperation all the while involving more and more countries in it," the astronaut said.

ISS Expedition 36 Crew to Return to Earth

In preparation for the Expedition 36 return to Earth, Commander Pavel Vinogradov of Russia's Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) handed over control of the International Space Station Monday, Sept. 9, 2013 at 2:25 p.m. EDT in a traditional Change of Command Ceremony. 

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Fyodor Yurchikhin will take over command and officially lead Expedition 37 when Expedition 36 undocks Tuesday at 7:35 p.m.

Going home with Vinogradov are Flight Engineers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos, who arrived at the station March 28. 

They will land a few hours later in their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft at 10:58 p.m. (8:58 a.m. Wednesday Kazakhstan time).

Soyuz landing coverage begins Tuesday on NASA TV at 4 p.m. with farewell and hatch closure.

In the bottom half of this photo, left to right, are Vinogradov and Flight Engineers Karen Nyberg of NASA and Misurkin.

In the top half of the photo are, left to right, Flight Engineers Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, Cassidy, and Yurchikhin. This photo was taken on June 8, 2013.

Image Credit: NASA

Russian Cosmonauts EVA search for bacterium corroding ISS

The Russian cosmonauts, Alexander Misurkin and Fyodor Yurchikhin, staying aboard the International Space Station (ISS), recently conducted at EVA from the Space Station with the aim of examining the ISS body to find out whether there is a bacterium there that can destroy its surface.

The bacteria research, done by scientists, has been going on for more than 20 years now.

Over the past period the Russian Space Agency has given Russian and foreign biologists more than 1 million pestiferous microbes that can destroy metals and polymers.

According to information obtained by experts during the past decades, we know that the life cycle of such microorganisms can last from 20 to 30 minutes.

Bacteria have enough time to grow, multiply, to destroy several molecules of the material they choose, and die.

In a 10-year period nearly 200,000 generations of microbes undergo changes, scientists say.

As a rule, there are many microbes in pipelines, air conditioners, cooler-dehumidifier units, oxygen electrolysis units, electric and hydraulic lines, helmets, and on skin-plating.

NASA: Celebrating Fathers' Hallmark Day on the ISS

Pictured on the front row are Expedition 36 Commander Pavel Vinogradov (left) and Flight Engineer Fyodor Yurchikhin. Pictured from the left (back row) are Flight Engineers Alexander Misurkin, Chris Cassidy, Luca Parmitano and Karen Nyberg. Image credit: NASA

On Sunday, May 16, 10 children will celebrate Father's Day on Earth while their fathers orbit overhead as members of the Expedition 36 crew aboard the International Space Station.

The crew has numerous ways to stay connected with family: email updated daily by Mission Control, use of a special phone to call when they have free time and video conferences, usually planned for the weekends when work is light.

Russia's Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft at Baikonur

Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

The Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft lowers into place March 22, 2013, during encapsulation into the third stage of a Soyuz booster rocket, at the Integration Facility of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Soyuz will launch March 29 (Kazakh time), carrying Expedition 35/36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy of NASA, Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin to the International Space Station for a 5-½ month mission.