U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson of the US, one of three crew members of the 16th mission to the International Space Station, with a Kazakh whip in her left hand, a gift given to her as future commander of the space station, poses for photographers during the final news conference at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007. Credit: AP Photo/Mikhial Metzel.
