SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

Expedition 14 Takes Command, Expedition 13 Prepares for Return to Earth

New station residents Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin are in charge of the orbiting complex. Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter officially joined Expedition 14 last week.

Meanwhile, Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams are preparing to return to Earth on Thursday, Sept. 28. Spaceflight Participant Anousheh Ansari will also end her visit that day and return with Expedition 13.

A formal change of command ceremony from Expedition 13 to Expedition 14 occurred Wednesday, Sept. 27. NASA TV will begin coverage of a farewell ceremony and closing of the hatches on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 2:35 p.m. EDT, as the Expedition 13 crew and Ansari prepare to depart. They are scheduled to land in Kazakhstan at 9:14 p.m. EDT.

As the crew handover proceeds, both crews continue science and maintenance activities, as well as exercise. The Elektron oxygen generator was serviced over the weekend and was reactivated Tuesday, but failed shortly thereafter.

+ Read more about the arrival of Expedition 14 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/exp14_advancer.html

+ Read more about Expedition 13 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition13/index.html + Read more about Expedition 14 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/index.html + View crew's daily timelines http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html