A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station successfully blasted off on Saturday, following a two-day delay due to an aborted launch earlier in the week. The spacecraft, with a crew comprising of a NASA astronaut, a Russian cosmonaut, and a Belarusian astronaut, launched smoothly from the Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan.
The initial launch, which was scheduled for Thursday, was halted just 20 seconds before liftoff due to an automatic safety system triggered by a voltage drop in a power source. However, the rocket successfully launched on Saturday, with the space capsule separating and entering orbit eight minutes after liftoff.
The astronauts are now on a two-day, 34-orbit journey to the space station, with docking expected on Monday. The crew will join the current station members, which include NASA astronauts and Russian cosmonauts. The returning astronauts are scheduled to come back to Earth on April 6.
The International Space Station, a symbol of international cooperation, remains a key area of collaboration between Russia and the West amidst geopolitical tensions. NASA and its partners aim to continue operating the space station until 2030, with Russia continuing to rely on modified Soviet-designed rockets for various space missions.
