Photos: Space Station's Expedition 32 Mission

Space Station's Exp.32 Crew: Landing Prep

Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka (center), Expedition 32 commander; along with NASA astronaut Joe Acaba (left) and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Revin, both flight engineers, attired in Russian Sokol launch and entry suits, conduct a standard suit leak check in the Soyuz 30 (TMA-04M) spacecraft in preparation for their return to Earth scheduled for Sept. 16, 2012.

Spacewalking Sunita Williams Touches the Sun

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Expedition 32 flight engineer, appears to touch the bright sun during the mission’s third spacewalk on Sept. 5, 2012.

Expedition 32 Crew

The crew of the International Space Station's Expedition 32. Pictured from the left are flight engineers Akihiko Hoshide, Yuri Malenchenko, Sunita Williams and Joe Acaba, commander Gennady Padalka and flight engineer Sergei Revin.

Astronaut Sunita Williams and Spacesuit

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Expedition 32 flight engineer and commander of the International Space Station's Expedition 33 crew, poses for a photo with her spacesuit ahead of an Aug. 30, 2012, spacewalk.

Spacewalking Cosmonaut's Big Pitch

Expedition 32 commander Gennady Padalka, a Russian cosmonaut, throws the small Spherical Satellite into orbit during an Aug. 20, 2012, spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The small satellite will spend three months in orbit and be used for space tracking experiments.

Astronaut Hoshide on ISS Spacewalk

Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide is pictured during a spacewalk on Sept. 5, 2012. During the six-hour, 28-minute spacewalk, Hoshide and NASA astronaut Sunita Williams (out of frame) fixed a critical station power unit and installed a camera on the outpost's robotic arm.

Russian Cosmonaut Preps for Spacewalk

Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, Expedition 32 commander, participates in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) to continue outfitting the International Space Station. The image was taken on Aug. 20, 2012.

Cosmonaut's View of Earth: Aug. 20, 2012 Spacewalk

This still image shows the view of Earth and part of the International Space Station from the helmet video camera of station commander Gennady Padalka during an Aug. 20, 2012 spacewalk. Padalka was at the end of a station crane during this view.

Astronauts in the Cupola

NASA astronaut Joe Acaba and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide, both Expedition 32 flight engineers, are pictured in the International Space Station's Cupola as the unpiloted Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-3) approaches the station. This image was taken July 27, 2012.

Astronaut Joe Acaba: Expedition 32

NASA astronaut Joe Acaba, Expedition 31/32 flight engineer, poses for a photo with Robonaut 2 humanoid robot in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station in June 2012.

Astronaut Sunita Williams Takes ISS Command

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams (front left) takes command of the International Space Station from cosmonaut Gennady Padalka (front right) during a ceremony marking the start of the Expedition 33 increment aboard the space station on Sept. 15, 2012.