In a significant milestone for international space collaboration, a U.S.-Russian crew of three successfully launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, propelled by a Soyuz booster rocket, took off precisely as planned from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, a facility leased by Russia. Onboard were NASA astronaut Chris Williams, alongside Russian cosmonauts Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov. The crew is expected to dock at the ISS approximately three hours after liftoff, marking the beginning of an eight-month mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. This mission holds particular significance as it marks the inaugural spaceflight for Williams, a physicist, and Mikaev, a military pilot, while Kud-Sverchkov embarks on his second journey into space. Upon arrival, the trio will join an international team already stationed at the ISS, including NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, and Jonny Kim, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov, Alexei Zubritsky, and Oleg Platonov. During their stay, Williams will spearhead scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human space exploration and improving life on Earth, according to NASA. This mission underscores the enduring partnership between the U.S. and Russia in space exploration, despite geopolitical tensions on the ground.
US-Russian crew of 3 blasts off to the International Space Station in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft
