[img]http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/493575main_jsc2010e193639_slide.jpg[/img] Expedition 26 Flight Engineers Catherine Coleman, Paolo Nespoli and Dmitry Kondratyev meet with Russian space officials before their Dec. 15 launch to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA The three-member Expedition 26 crew is busy onboard the International Space Station while waiting for a new trio due to arrive on Dec. 17. Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineers Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka have been onboard the station since Oct. 9.

All systems aboard the orbiting International Space Station continued to function well Tuesday, as the three-person Expedition 26 crew tackled some light-duty maintenance tasks while awaiting the arrival of three additional flight engineers aboard a Soyuz on Dec. 17 as well as the launch of space shuttle Discovery.

Commander Scott Kelly spent some time cleaning fans that provide crucial ventilation throughout the modules. With the absence of any natural wind to circulate the air, these fans prevent pockets of carbon dioxide from building up inside the closed space station atmosphere.

Commander Doug Wheelock announcing 10 years of human presence in space on board the International Space Station. Video of the audio can be seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNiRv2rGjuY