3 astronauts blast off for ISS in upgraded Soyuz craft

July 07, 2016 08:28

Three astronauts blasted off today from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome towards the International Space Station in an upgraded Soyuz spacecraft.

First-time astronauts Kathleen Rubins of NASA and Takuya Onishi of the Japanese space agency set off for a four-month mission at the ISS with two-time Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin at 0136 GMT.

"And lift-off!" said a commentator on NASA TV, which broadcast footage of the launch in Kazakhstan.

The trio's launch was delayed by over two weeks as Russian space officials carried out further software tests on the modified vehicle.

Features of the new Soyuz series include upgraded boosters, an improved navigation system, strengthened shielding from debris and more cells on the craft's solar panels.

NASA's Rubins will be the first woman aboard the ISS since Italian Samantha Cristoforetti returned to earth with the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman (199 days) in June last year.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Jolt to MVA as Cong leader quits campaigning over no Muslim LS candidate

In a letter to Kharge, Khan said he will not campaign for party candidates for the remaining phases of the Lok Sabha polls and is also resigning from the state Congress campaign committee.

NIA chargesheets 14th accused in 2022 Coimbatore car bomb case

Naseer and his associates had conspired to wage war against the government of India and also to kill Indians in order to destabilise the country and create communal disharmony, it said.

India's Biggest Bow Arch String Girder

Glimpses of India's biggest Bowstring/Bow Arch Sting Girder installed by the Hindustan Construction Company on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link at 3.25 am, Friday, April 26, 2024.

IPL PIX: Punjab Kings beat KKR in record chase

IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings in Kolkata on Friday.

'Stats are going out of the window'

'Very pleasing. Most importantly the win, cricket has turned to baseball isn't it? We're delighted with the two points.'