From left: ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, Roscosmos cosmonaut Max Suraev and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman in their Soyuz spacecraft that will fly them back to Earth after almost six months on the International Space Station.

They tested their Sokol suits and spacecraft a week before their return on 10 November 2014.

Alexander Gerst commented on this image five days before leaving the weightless research laboratory: “R-5: Leak check passed. The Soyuz TMA-13M crew is ready for the flight home after a very successful ISS Expedition.”

Follow Alexander Gerst via alexandergerst.esa.int