The International Space Station is a joint project of the United States, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan that has been in operation since 1998, but is slated for retirement in 2024.

The current ISS crew, Expedition-57, consists of European Space Agency (ESA) Commander Alexander Gerst, Roscosmos Commander Sergei Prokopyev and NASA astronaut Serena Aunon-Chancellor. The astronauts' mission on board the orbital laboratory lasts for six months.

The crew conducts a range of technical and scientific tasks, including the installation of special equipment for the ICARUS initiative, which aims to monitor the migration of wild animals and birds.