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Soyuz Blasts Off for Space Station

New crew launched today from Kazakhstan

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 23, 2012 6:42 AM CDT

(Newser) – An American and two Russians blasted off for the International Space Station from Kazakhstan today in a Soyuz rocket. NASA astronaut Kevin Ford and Russians Oleg Novitsky and Yevgeny Tarelkin will travel for two days before meeting up with US astronaut Sunita Williams, Russia's Yuri Malenchenko, and Japan's Aki Hoshide at the orbiting station, the AP reports. Only Ford, who piloted the space shuttle Discovery for two weeks in 2009, has been in space before.

Even so, "for me this is a very new adventure, launching from Russia and launching aboard a Soyuz," Ford said, according to Space.com. "The Soyuz is an amazing spacecraft." The group is on a five-month mission.
The Soyuz-FG rocket booster with Soyuz TMA-06M space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station, ISS, blasts off from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Oct. 23, 2012.
The Soyuz-FG rocket booster with Soyuz TMA-06M space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station, ISS, blasts off from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Oct. 23, 2012.   (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)
The Soyuz rocket with Expedition 33/34 crew members onboard the TMA-06M spacecraft launches to the International Space Station on Oct. 23, 2012, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
The Soyuz rocket with Expedition 33/34 crew members onboard the TMA-06M spacecraft launches to the International Space Station on Oct. 23, 2012, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.   (AP Photo/NASA, Bill Ingalls)
US astronaut Kevin Ford waves as he boards the Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft at the Baikonur space center in Baikonur before the launch to the International Space Station Oct. 23, 2012 in Kazakhstan.
US astronaut Kevin Ford waves as he boards the Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft at the Baikonur space center in Baikonur before the launch to the International Space Station Oct. 23, 2012 in Kazakhstan.   (AP Photo/Reuters, Shamil Zhumatov, Pool)
Expedition 33/34 crew members, Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy, bottom, NASA astronaut Kevin Ford, and Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin of ROSCOSMOS, top, wave before boarding their Soyuz rocket.
Expedition 33/34 crew members, Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy, bottom, NASA astronaut Kevin Ford, and Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin of ROSCOSMOS, top, wave before boarding their Soyuz rocket.   (AP Photo/NASA, Bill Ingalls)
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COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
Sekjr
Oct 25, 2012 12:50 PM CDT
how does an American blast off in a Russian rocket...?

 
International Space Station • space program • Soyuz • space station

 
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