On flights that have a crew rotation, the arriving and departing Station crews must "handover" to ensure a smooth transition. For several weeks before the launch of the shuttle, the two crews will talk via video conferences. The on-orbit crew will explain anything different from what they encountered in training, such as station anomalies, new techniques they developed and anything else that will ease the transition of the new crew.

The two crews will both occupy the station for one to seven days. The arriving crew receives safety briefings and participates in some safety exercises. They are also briefed on vehicle changes and payload operations. Crews also have to exchange Soyuz seat liners and associated equipment.