spacetoday.net: New crew launched to the International Space Station

New crew launched to the International Space Station

Posted: Thu, May 29, 2014, 10:46 AM ET (1446 GMT)
Soyuz TMA-13M approaches ISS (NASA)

A Soyuz spacecraft carrying three new International Space Station lifted off Wednesday and docked with the station less than six hours later. The Soyuz TMA-13M lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:57 pm EDT Wednesday (1957 GMT Wednesday, 1:57 am Thursday local time) and entered orbit nine minutes later. The spacecraft, on a "fast track" approach to the ISS, docked with the station's Rassvet module at 9:44 pm EDT Wednesday (0144 GMT Thursday). The Soyuz brought to the station three members of the Expedition 40 crew: Russian cosmonaut Max Suraev, American astronaut Reid Wiseman, and German astronaut Alexander Gerst, joining the three people already on the station.