OREANDA-NEWS. March 4, 2009. Today at GCTC ISS-19 prime/back-up crews were passing the preflight exams.

The prime crew is commanded by Russian cosmonaut and Hero of Russia Gennady Padalka, US astronaut Michael Barratt and space flight participant Charles Simonyi, for whom this would be the second ISS mission (he made the first one in 2007).

They were passing the first step of the exam in the ISS ground simulator.

In parallel, back-up crew- Russian Maxim Suraev, US Jeffrey Williams and US SFP Ester Dyson- was examined in the Soyuz simulator.

Prime crew members have got excellent marks.
Tomorrow the crew will swap. On Thursday, the State Board will provide their final approval for the ISS-19 prime and back-up crews.