Russian officicals said U.S. astronaut John Phillips and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev will be part of the next crew of the International Space Station.
Phillips, Krikalev and the European Space Agency's Roberto Vittori are scheduled to take off from the Baykonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 15, according to Roskosmos, the Russian space agency.
Krikalev, 46, was chosen to head the expedition. Phillips, 53, will be flight engineer and also will perform the role of ISS science officer. Phillips also will turn 54 on April 15.
Krikalev and Phillips will spend six months on the station, replacing NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao and Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov.
Anatoly Perminov, head of Roskosmos, said the new crew plans to conduct 39 experiments, perform two space walks and receive the first two U.S. space shuttles after more than a two-year hiatus following the loss of shuttle Columbia and its seven astronauts on Feb. 1, 2003.
