jsc2014e049403

12-15-05: In front of the statue of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, in the town of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 40/41 backup crewmembers Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency (left), Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Terry Virts of NASA (right) mimic Gagarin’s pose during a photo opportunity May 17. The trio is backing up the prime crew, Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, Soyuz Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and NASA Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman, who will launch from Baikonur on May 29, Kazakh time, for a 5 ½ month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Victor Zelentsov