A Russian-American crew of three has blasted off to the International Space Station, making a second attempt to reach the outpost after October's aborted launch.
A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch along with Roscosmos' Alexei Ovchinin lifted off as planned from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12:14 a.m. Friday (1914 GMT Thursday). They are set to dock at the space station in about six hours.
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A Russian-American crew of three has blasted off to the International Space Station, making a second attempt to reach the outpost after October's aborted launch.
The Soyuz rocket is seen at dawn on launch site 1 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 59's astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch of NASA, along with Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch later in the day, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.(Bill IngallsNASA via AP)
An Orthodox priest walks after a blessing service in front of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March 14 with U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
An Orthodox priest conducts a blessing service in front of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March 14 with U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
Russian Orthodox Priest Father Sergei blesses members of the media at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad, Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 59's astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch of NASA, along with Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch later in the day, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station (Bill IngallsNASA via AP)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, left, Nick Hague, right, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), pose near a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, left, Nick Hague, right, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), pose near a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Nick Hague, a members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relatives from a bus prior to the launch launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, a members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relatives from a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, a members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relative from a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, a members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relatives from a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, a member of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relatives from a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, right, Nick Hague, members of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), speak prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronaut Nick Hague Russian, member of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), gestures prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, right, and Nick Hague, members of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), wave prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
Russian Space Agency experts help U.S. astronaut Nick Hague, member of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), to stand up after inspecting his space suit prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
Russian Space Agency experts help Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, member of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), to stand up after inspecting his space suit prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
On Oct. 11, a Soyuz that Hague and Ovchinin were riding in failed two minutes into its flight, activating a rescue system that allowed their capsule to land safely. That accident was the first aborted crew launch for the Russian space program since 1983, when two Soviet cosmonauts safely jettisoned after a launch pad explosion.
An Orthodox priest conducts a blessing service in front of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March 14 with U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
The Soyuz rocket is seen at dawn on launch site 1 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 59's astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch of NASA, along with Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch later in the day, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.(Bill IngallsNASA via AP)
An Orthodox priest walks after a blessing service in front of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March 14 with U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
An Orthodox priest conducts a blessing service in front of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March 14 with U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
Russian Orthodox Priest Father Sergei blesses members of the media at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad, Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Expedition 59's astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch of NASA, along with Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch later in the day, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station (Bill IngallsNASA via AP)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, left, Nick Hague, right, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), pose near a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, left, Nick Hague, right, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), pose near a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Nick Hague, a members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relatives from a bus prior to the launch launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, a members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relatives from a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, a members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relative from a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, a members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relatives from a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, a member of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), interacts with his relatives from a bus prior to the launch of the Soyuz FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The new Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on Thursday, March. 14. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, right, Nick Hague, members of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), speak prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronaut Nick Hague Russian, member of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), gestures prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
U.S. astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, right, and Nick Hague, members of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), wave prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
Russian Space Agency experts help U.S. astronaut Nick Hague, member of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), to stand up after inspecting his space suit prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)
Russian Space Agency experts help Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, member of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), to stand up after inspecting his space suit prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky)