BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan – An American, a Russian and an Italian successfully lifted off in a Soyuz capsule Friday headed toward their temporary home on the International Space Station.
NASA's Randy Bresnik, Russia's Sergei Ryazansky and Italy's Paolo Nespoli blasted off from the Russia-leased launch pad in Kazakhstan at 21:41 p.m. Friday. The new crew will arrive at the station in about six hours.
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NASA’s Jack Fischer and Peggy Whitson, as well as the veteran Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, will welcome the three spacemen on the space station. The hatch opening is scheduled for 7:40 p.m., according to NASA.
Exp. 52 launches with @AstroKomrade, @Astro_Paolo & @Ryazanskiy_ISS. More photos will be coming in soon. https://t.co/zW83HaMIL3 pic.twitter.com/aMn2EJ2YLt
— NASA HQ PHOTO (@nasahqphoto) July 28, 2017
The Expedition 52 and 53 crew members will spend four months together on the orbiting laboratory before returning to Earth.
Bresnik previously logged 10 days in space when he flew on a mission in 2009, performing two spacewalks.
Check back tonight to watch the hatch-opening ceremony.