This unusual image, photographed through the Cupola on the International Space Station by one of the Expedition 30 crew members, is centered over Turkey.
This busy night time panorama was photographed by one of the Expedition 30 crew members from the International Space Station on Dec. 26, 2011.
The International Space Station can be seen as a small object in lower right of this image of the moon in the early evening Jan. 4 in the skies over the Houston area flying at an altitude of 390.8 kilometers (242.8 miles).
This infrared image, photographed by an Expedition 30 crew member aboard the International Space Station in Earth orbit on Dec. 25, 2011, features Comet Lovejoy in a star-filled sky.
This night time infrared image of Oakland/San Francisco/San Jose or California's "Bay Area" was photographed by an Expedition 30 crew member aboard the International Space Station on Dec. 25 (though it was late Dec. 24 in California).
This infrared image features Comet Lovejoy and was photographed about 240 miles above Earth from the International Space Station.
This night time infrared image of the Los Angeles metropolitan area was photographed by an Expedition 30 crew member aboard the International Space Station on Dec. 25 (though it was late Dec. 24 in California).
The six Expedition 30 crew members assemble in the U.S. Lab (Destiny) aboard the International Space Station for a brief celebration of the Christmas holiday on Dec. 25.
Comet Lovejoy is visible near Earth's horizon in this nighttime image photographed by NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, onboard the International Space Station on Dec. 22, 2011.
Comet Lovejoy is visible near Earth’s horizon in this nighttime image photographed by NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, onboard the International Space Station on Dec. 21, 2011.
NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, plays a guitar in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.
This is an infrared image of Jakarta, Indonesia at night recorded by an Expedition 30 crew member aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station on Dec. 25, 2011.
The Soyuz TMA-03M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011 carrying Expedition 30 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers to the International Space Station.
Comet Lovejoy is visible near Earth’s horizon in this nighttime image photographed by NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, onboard the International Space Station on Dec. 21, 2011.
Comet Lovejoy is visible near Earth’s horizon in this nighttime image photographed by NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, onboard the International Space Station on Dec. 21, 2011.
NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, commander of the International Space Station, sends holiday greetings home to Earth on Dec. 15, 2011.
The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M pulls up to the International Space Station on Dec. 23, 2011 carrying three new crewmembers for the station's Expedition 30 mission. The Mediterranean Sea provides a dazzling backdrop.
The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M pulls up to the International Space Station on Dec. 23, 2011 to deliver three new members of the orbiting lab's crew. A stunning view of Africa serves as the backdrop.
The Russian TMA-03M Soyuz spacecraft launches Dec. 21 from Kazakhstan, carrying three new crewmembers to the International Space Station.
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft is rolled out by train on its way to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 30 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers is scheduled for 7:16 p.m. local time on Wednesday, December 21.
Comet Lovejoy is visible near Earth’s horizon in this nighttime image photographed by NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, onboard the International Space Station on Dec. 21, 2011.
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft is rolled out by train on its way to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 30 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers is scheduled for 7:16 p.m. local time on Wednesday, December 21.
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft is rolled out by train on its way to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 30 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers is scheduled for 7:16 p.m. local time on Wednesday, December 21.
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft is lifted on to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. The rocket is being prepared for launch on December 21 to carry the crew of Expedition 30 to the International Space Station.
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft stands on the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The vehicle is slated to carry three new crewmembers to the International Space Station on Wednesday (Dec. 21).
The Soyuz rocket is seen as it approaches the Soyuz launch pad on Monday, Dec. 21, 2011 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft will carry Expedition 30 Soyuz Commander Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers to the International Space Station.
Launch pad engineers at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan are dwarfed by the large gantry mechanisms at the base of the Soyuz TMA-03M rocket following its rollout to the pad on Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. The rocket is being prepared for launch on December 21 to carry the crew of Expedition 30 to the International Space Station.
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft is rolled out by train on its way to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011.
Expedition 30/31 crew members from left: NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit, Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko and European Space Agency Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers are seen following a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel on Dec. 20, 2011, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
Expedition 30 crew members, from left, Don Pettit of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of Russia, and Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands speak at a press conference in Russia on Tuesday (Dec. 20), just a day before their scheduled launch to the International Space Station.
Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Anton Shkaplerov, both Expedition 30 flight engineers, participate in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) to continue outfitting the International Space Station. The image was released Feb. 16, 2012.
Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, Expedition 30 flight engineer, participates in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) to continue outfitting the International Space Station. Image released Feb. 16, 2012.
This nighttime image photographed by one of the Expedition 30 crew members aboard the International Space Station provides a look toward the Mediterranean Sea. Along the left side, the night lights clearly depict the high population associated with the Nile River and its delta and the Alexandria, Egypt area (top left center). The Gulf of Suez and the Suez Canal are seen to the right. Image released Feb. 16, 2012.
European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers, Expedition 30 flight engineer, is pictured near fruit floating freely in the Unity node of the International Space Station. Image released Feb. 16, 2012.
Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, Expedition 30 flight engineer, makes a selection from a food storage container in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, commander, is visible in the background. Image released Feb. 16, 2012.
Aurora Australis, seen at right on Earth's horizon, and daybreak (left) highlight this densely packed photograph taken by one of the Expedition 30 crew members aboard the International Space Station. The estimated nadir position of the orbital outpost was over the Indian Ocean (at coordinates of approximately 49.5 degrees south latitude and 122.6 degrees east longitude), or about 1,200 miles south of Australia. The view is toward the east. A Russian Soyuz (center), connected to the Pirs docking compartment, is joined in the foreground (right) by a Russian Progress. Image released Feb. 16, 2012.
fisheye lens attached to an electronic still camera was used to capture this image of Robonaut 2 humanoid robot during another system checkout in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. Teams on the ground commanded Robonaut through a series of dexterity tests as it spelled out "Hello, world" in sign language. Image released on Feb. 16, 2012.
A fisheye lens attached to an electronic still camera was used to capture this image of Robonaut 2 humanoid robot during another system checkout in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. Teams on the ground commanded Robonaut through a series of dexterity tests as it spelled out "Hello, world" in sign language. Image released on Feb. 16, 2012.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Expedition 30 flight engineer, equipped with a bungee harness, exercises on the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT) in the Tranquility node of the International Space Station. Image released Feb. 16, 2012.
NASA astronaut Dan Burbank (right), Expedition 30 commander, along with European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers (center) and NASA astronaut Don Pettit, both Expedition 30 flight engineers, are pictured in the Cupola of the International Space Station. Image released Feb. 16, 2012.
A close look at this four-inch polished metal sphere onboard the International Space Station reveals a reflected image of NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Expedition 30 flight engineer. Using a 105-mm lens, Pettit took a series of pictures of the sphere. Also visible is hardware from the Capillary Flow Experiment-2 (CFE-2) Vane Gap 1 Experiment, in the U.S. Laboratory Destiny. Image released Feb. 28, 2012.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, flight engineer of Expedition 30 aboard the International Space Station, took this photograph of the aurora above the southern hemisphere (Aurora Australis). Image released March 15, 2012.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, flight engineer of Expedition 30 aboard the International Space Station, took this photograph of the aurora above the southern hemisphere (Aurora Australis). Image released March 15, 2012.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, flight engineer of Expedition 30 aboard the International Space Station, took this photograph of the aurora above the southern hemisphere (Aurora Australis). Image released March 15, 2012.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, flight engineer of Expedition 30 aboard the International Space Station, took this photograph of the aurora above the southern hemisphere (Aurora Australis). Image released March 15, 2012.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, flight engineer of Expedition 30 aboard the International Space Station, took this photograph of the aurora above the southern hemisphere (Aurora Australis). Image released March 15, 2012.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, flight engineer of Expedition 30 aboard the International Space Station, took this photograph of the aurora above the southern hemisphere (Aurora Australis). Image released March 15, 2012.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, flight engineer of Expedition 30 aboard the International Space Station, took this photograph of the aurora above the southern hemisphere (Aurora Australis). Image released March 15, 2012.
The Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area outside of the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, on Friday, April 27, 2012.
Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank, left, Flight Engineers Anton Shkaplerov, center, and Anatoly Ivanishin sit in chairs outside the Soyuz Capsule just minutes after they landed in a remote area outside the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, on Friday, April 27, 2012.