Expedition 58: The International Space Station Mission in Pictures

The Expedition 58 mission to the International Space Station began in December 2018. Its three-person crew — Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques (left), NASA astronaut Anne McClain (center) and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko (right) — launched to the space station Dec. 3 in the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft. Expedition 58 officially began when the three members of Expedition 57 returned to Earth on Dec. 20. See how astronauts have lived, laughed and worked in space in our photo gallery! 

Here: To celebrate Orthodox Christmas, a Russian holiday, the Mission Control Center in Moscow gave a private recital for the space station crew via video call on Jan. 7, 2019.

On Nov. 29, 2018, Expedition 58 crewmembers Anne McClain, Oleg Kononenko and David Saint-Jacques pose with the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft at the Baikonur Cosmodrome Integration Facility ahead of their planned six-month mission to the International Space Station.

Following a successful spacewalk on Dec. 12, 2018, cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Oleg Kononenko join the rest of the Expedition 57/58 crewmembers for a group photo. From left to right: Alexander Gerst, Sergey Prokopyev, David Saint-Jacques, Oleg Kononenko, Anne McClain and Serena Auñón-Chancellor.

NASA astronaut Anne McClain is welcomed by European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst as she enters the International Space Station for the first time on Dec. 3, 2018. "Arriving at @Space_Station was a major international technical feat, the culmination of a personal dream, and a sign of what humans can do when we work together," McClain tweeted. "And floating did NOT disappoint!"

On Feb. 14, 2019, astronauts Anne McClain and David Saint-Jacques stand between spacesuits in the Quest airlock aboard the International Space Station. U.S. spacewalks begin in the Quest airlock, which is where spacesuits are stored and serviced.

From inside the Cupola observatory on the International Space Station, Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques takes photos of Earth.

Related: Canada Celebrates Launch of First Astronaut in 6 Years

At the end of workday, Expedition 58 Cmdr. Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos wraps up science operations on a laptop in the Zvezda service module.

A silhouette of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule appears on the horizon during the spacecraft's approach to the International Space Station in this stunning view by NASA astronaut Anne McClain, who cleverly captioned the photo with "the dawn of a new era in human spaceflight" on Twitter. 

Full Story: Astronaut Snaps Breathtaking Photo of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Near Space Station

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Anne McClain and Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques monitor as SpaceX's Crew Dragon approaches and docks for the first time in history.

Full Story: SpaceX's Crew Dragon Docks at Space Station for First Time

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft arrived (without a crew on board) on March 3, 2019, approximately 27 hours after it lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on a Falcon 9 rocket. It spent one week docked to the station's Harmony module before returning to Earth with a spectacular splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. SpaceX and NASA aim to launch astronauts on a Crew Dragon in mid-2019.

Full Story: SpaceX's Crew Dragon Docks at Space Station for First Time

When SpaceX launched its first Crew Dragon demo mission to the International Space Station in March 2019, it sent along an adorable anthropomorphic Earth plushy made by the company Celestial Buddies.  

Full Story: SpaceX Adds Adorable 'Zero-G Indicator' Inside the Crew Dragon 

Here, NASA astronaut Anne McClain shows her "little Earth" buddy the beauty of Mother Earth from the Cupola observatory of the International Space Station.

 Gallery: Space Station Astronauts Bond with Little Earth 'Celestial Buddy' 

NASA astronaut Anne McClain tries on her spacesuit with a little help from her Celestial Buddy. "Today he kept me company while we checked our suit sizing to account for space growth (I am 2 inches taller than when I launched!), then we did some translation adaptation," McClain tweeted on March 4, 2019.

Related: Astronaut Anne McClain Is Having a Ball in Space with Her 'Celestial Buddy'

After joining McClain for morning coffee, "then it was emergency mask donning practice," she tweeted. "If there’s an (unlikely) ammonia leak, we have just seconds to protect ourselves." So, Earth practiced putting on these colorful emergency masks with Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques.

 Gallery: Space Station Astronauts Bond with Little Earth 'Celestial Buddy'  

Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques adjusts the sizing of his spacesuit to prepare for an upcoming spacewalk. "We tried our spacesuits on today to adjust for space growth!" he tweeted with this photo, on March 4, 2019.

Aboard the International Space Station, each day includes taking part in research about the universe, the Earth, and the creatures that live on it, and according to astronaut Anna McClain it's "really phenomenal," especially when doing science on the ceiling. "Well, now that’s just cool!" she tweeted.

Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques set up the Bio-Monitor on Jan. 16, 2019. The Canadian technology will be used not only to track astronaut health, but also has the potential to assist people on Earth living far from medical facilities.

After releasing the SpaceX Dragon CRS-16 spacecraft from the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm, a beautiful view of Earth and the Sun offers a breathtaking backdrop.

Inside the Quest airlock NASA astronaut Anne McClain and Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques pose between two spacesuits. This airlock has multiple purposes — holding spacesuits as well as serving as a servicing center for the suits. U.S spacewalks are staged inside the Quest airlock.

NASA astronaut Anne McClain completes routine maintenance on U.S. spacesuits in the Quest airlock. McClain, an Expedition 58 flight engineer, empties and refills water in the suits' cooling loops.

The Dragon CRS-16 cargo spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station on Jan. 13, 2019. "Farewell Dragon!" Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques tweeted from the orbiting laboratory. "#Canadarm2 just released SpaceX-16 capsule, returning experiments to scientists around the World."

Full Story: Splashdown! SpaceX Dragon Returns to Earth After 2nd Space Station Delivery

While attached to the ISS on Jan. 7, 2019, the U.S. Cygnus NG-10 cargo freighter from Northrup Grumman deploys its cymbal-shaped UltraFlex solar arrays. Visible just below the freighter, the space station's Cupola observatory is visible. The Cygnus spacecraft launched to the ISS during Expedition 57 in November 2018. When it left in February 2019 — stuffed with trash — in safely burned up in Earth's atmosphere.

On Feb. 8, 2019, while the International Space Station orbits over the Pacific Ocean near Peru, the Cygnus cargo spacecraft by Northrop Grumman prepares for a return trip to Earth after the Canadarm2 robotic arm releases it.

Full Story: Cygnus Cargo Ship Takes Out the Trash at the International Space Station

David Saint-Jacques, an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency, performs routine maintenance on the Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue, also known as SAFER. The system connects to U.S. spacesuits as a security measure during extravehicular activities in case an astronaut becomes untethered.

Inside the Cupola observatory, NASA astronaut Anne McClain holds biomedical gear for the Marrow experiment which studies fat changes in bone marrow before and after exposure to microgravity through magnetic resonance. This experiment seeks to measure the specific changes of red and white blood cell functions.

In the Unity module, Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques repairs the Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME) chamber by replacing a control unit and a radiometer.

Floating between the Harmony module and the Destiny laboratory module, NASA astronaut Anne McClain dons a data collection senor for the Circadian Rhythms experiment on her forehead. The experiment aims to understand how an astronaut's "biological clock" changes during long-duration spaceflight.

Related: Sleeping in Space: How Astronauts Get a Good Night's Rest

NASA astronaut Anne McClain floats weightlessly in the U.S. Destiny laboratory during space-to-ground conference operations on Jan. 18, 2019.

The toilet on the International Space Station, known as the Waste and Hygiene Compartment, undergoes some upkeep as Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques replaces hydraulic components.

Related: How to Pee in Space (and What to Do If the Toilet Breaks)

On Jan. 14, 2019, Expedition 58 Cmdr. Oleg Kononenko works inside the Japanese Kibo lab module with Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES). The SPHERES experiment uses algorithms designed by high school students to control the basketball-sized satellites. The algorithms seek to mimic spacecraft maneuvers and formation flying.

Inside the Pirs docking compartment, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko installs gear for the VIZIR earth observation experiment. VIZIR studies technology that creates automated coordinate referencing of images of Earth and space taken by ISS crewmembers using "free-floating" equipment in weightlessness

Aboard the International Space Station on Jan. 3, 2019, NASA astronaut Anne McClain examines specimen in a microscope while collecting images for the Protein Crystal Growth-16 experiment. This study explores therapies for Parkinson's disease.

In the Unity module of the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Anne McClain completes research for the experiment known as Protein Crystal Growth-16, which is exploring therapies for Parkinson's disease. 

Inside the space station's Zvezda service module, the Expedition 58 members pose assemble for a crew photo on Dec. 29, 2018. From left to right are NASA astronaut Anne McClain, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques.

On Dec. 14, 2018, astronaut Anne McClain installs the Material Transfer Tray inside Japan's Kibo laboratory module on the International Space Station. 

As the International Space Station orbits Earth on Dec. 14, 2018. NASA's Anne McClain works out in the Destiny laboratory module. The module contains exercise gear and systems to measure the physical exertion and aerobic capacity of crew members.

Related: Space Travel Can Cut Astronauts' Fitness Levels by 50 Percent

"Earth’s second day on @Space_Station started early, but he was happy to learn that even in space, the day starts off with coffee," NASA astronaut Anne McClain tweeted along with this photo. 

Gallery: Space Station Astronauts Bond with Little Earth 'Celestial Buddy' 

NASA astronaut Anne McClain said she grew 2 inches (5 centimeters) while living in microgravity. With two spacewalks coming up, she therefore needed to check to make sure that her spacesuit would fit properly.  

Related: Strange But True: Astronauts Get Taller in Space

Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques teaches the "Celestial Buddy" a lesson about the Russian Soyuz spacecraft and descent procedures. 

Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques holds one of the cameras that he will use to take photos outside the International Space Station during an upcoming spacewalk.

NASA astronaut Anne McClain and Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques send Valentine's Day greetings from space as they pose with two spacesuits. "Thanks for all the Valentine’s Day wishes...we love to share this space with you!" McClain tweeted on Feb. 14, 2019.

Even aboard the International Space Station, far away from Earth's dust and dirt, cleaning is a necessary evil — maybe even more so than here on Earth. In this photo, Canadian Space Agency astronaut tidies up the orbiting laboratory with a special "zero-g" vacuum cleaner.

Using the tried-and-true method of measuring the position of the stars and Moon, Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques tests a prototype of the Orion spacecraft's backup navigation system.

Earth's atmosphere glows light blue as the crescent moon gracefully orbits the planet in this incredible photo captured by Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques at the International Space Station. 

Heading to bed aboard the International Space Station on Jan. 26, 2019, Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques captured a view from the Cupola of auroras dancing over Scandinavia.

Aboard the ISS on Jan. 23, 2019, auroras light the sky over Moscow as the moonlight shines across a snowing landscape.

From aboard the International Space Station, a view of Canada offers a unique site: the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal-Quebec City corridor glow just following sunset through a single Cupola window. "The Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal-Quebec City corridor comes alight after sunset, all visible through one Cupola window," astronaut David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency tweeted on Feb. 9, 2019.

As part of the Expedition 58 crew, David Saint-Jacques has many responsibilities, including space barber. Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and Saint-Jacques pose with the clippers.

During pre-launch activities, Expedition 58 prime and backup crewmembers pose with a Sputnik satellite model. From left to right the Prime crew: Anne McClain of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency, and the backup crew: Drew Morgan of NASA, Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, prepare for the launch.

Trained and prepared for any possibility, the Expedition 58 backup crew, made up of Drew Morgan of NASA (left), Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos (center) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (right), pose with the Soyuz MS-11 during a final fit check.

The three-member crew for Expedition 58 — Anne McClain of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency — are all represented on the official insignia for the mission.