spacetoday.net: Soyuz launches to ISS

Soyuz launches to ISS

Posted: Wed, Sep 25, 2013, 8:34 PM ET (0034 GMT)
Soyuz TMA-10M launch (NASA)

A Soyuz spacecraft carrying three new International Space Station crewmembers is on its way to the station after a launch from Baikonur. The Soyuz rocket carrying the Soyuz TMA-10M lifted off from Baikonur at 4:58 pm EDT Wednesday (2058 GMT Wednesday, 2:58 am local time Thursday) and placed the spacecraft into orbit nine minutes later. The Soyuz is on a fast-track approach that will bring it to the ISS after just four orbits, with docking scheduled for 10:48 pm EDT Wednesday (0248 GMT Thursday). On board the Soyuz are Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy and American astronaut Michael Hopkins. They will join the three people currently on the station.