Russia launches first manned voyage to ISS since rocket accident
Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques waves upon uniting with the rest of the crew members on the International Space Station (ISS) after its capsule hatch opened upon docking in this still image captured from NASA video in space, December 3, 2018. Courtesy NASA TV/Handout via REUTERS
BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - A Russian-made Soyuz rocket blasted a three-man crew into orbit on Monday, beginning the first manned voyage to the International Space Station since a mission in October was aborted in midair because of a rocket malfunction.
The Soyuz lifted off at 1131 GMT from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, NASA astronaut Anne McClain and the Canadian Space Agency's David Saint-Jacques.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques waves upon uniting with the rest of the crew members on the International Space Station (ISS) after its capsule hatch opened upon docking in this still image captured from NASA video in space, December 3, 2018. Courtesy NASA TV/Handout via REUTERS
"We have confirmation of the spacecraft separation; Soyuz capsule and crew safely in orbit," NASA TV said online in its blow-by-blow commentary of the take-off.
The launch was closely scrutinized because of the abortive mission to the ISS on Oct. 11, which ended two minutes after take-off when a rocket failure forced its two-man crew to perform an emergency landing.
Russian investigators blamed that malfunction, which occurred as the first and second stages of a booster rocket separated, on a damaged sensor.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques unites with the rest of the crew members on the International Space Station (ISS) after its capsule hatch opened upon docking in this still image captured from NASA video in space December 3, 2018. Courtesy NASA TV/Handout via REUTERS
The three-man crew appeared briefly before relatives and reporters on Monday morning, waving and blowing kisses as they left a hotel to board a bus on their way to prepare for the flight.
The crew repeatedly denied being nervous about flying and insisted the fact that the two-man crew had safely returned to Earth despite the dramatic mishap had demonstrated the reliability of the rocket's safety mechanisms.
Before take-off, an Orthodox priest at the launchpad on Sunday gave his blessing to the flight, splashing holy water from a brush and holding up a cross.
The Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of David Saint-Jacques of Canada, Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Anne McClain of the U.S. blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov
The spacecraft is due to dock at the ISS at 1736 GMT on Monday.
The new arrivals to the ISS will join the European Space Agency's Alexander Gerst, NASA's Serena Auñón-Chancellor and Russia's Sergey Prokopyev, who have been in orbit since June but are due to fly back to Earth on Dec. 20.
The Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of David Saint-Jacques of Canada, Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Anne McClain of the U.S. blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov
(Additional reporting by Andrey Ostroukh in Moscow, writing by Tom Balmforth, editing by Larry King Williams)
The Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of David Saint-Jacques of Canada, Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Anne McClain of the U.S. blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov The Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of David Saint-Jacques of Canada, Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Anne McClain of the U.S. blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. Picture taken with a long exposure through a fisheye lens. REUTERS/Shamil ZhumatovThe Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of David Saint-Jacques of Canada, Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Anne McClain of the U.S. blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil ZhumatovThe Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of David Saint-Jacques of Canada, Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Anne McClain of the U.S. blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil ZhumatovInternational Space Station (ISS) crew members David Saint-Jacques of Canada, Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Anne McClain of the U.S. walk after donning space suits shortly before their launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. Maxim Shipenkov/Pool via REUTERSSecurity personnel ride on an armoured vehicle in front of the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft shortly before its launch at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 2, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil ZhumatovThe International Space Station (ISS) crew members David Saint-Jacques of Canada, Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Anne McClain of the U.S. board the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft for the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/PoolThe International Space Station (ISS) crew member David Saint-Jacques of Canada walks to board the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft for the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/PoolThe International Space Station (ISS) crew member Oleg Kononenko of Russia boards the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft for the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/PoolInternational Space Station (ISS) crew members David Saint-Jacques of Canada, Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Anne McClain of the U.S. report to members of the State Committee shortly before their launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. Dmitri Lovetsky/Pool via REUTERSThe International Space Station (ISS) crew members David Saint-Jacques of Canada gestures after donning space suits shortly before the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil ZhumatovThe International Space Station (ISS) crew member Anne McClain of the U.S. smiles after donning space suits shortly before the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Shamil ZhumatovInternational Space Station (ISS) crew member David Saint-Jacques of Canada gestures from a bus as he leaves to board shortly before the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. Dmitri Lovetsky/Pool via REUTERSInternational Space Station (ISS) crew member Oleg Kononenko of Russia gestures from a bus as he leaves to board shortly before the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. Maxim Shipenkov/Pool via REUTERSInternational Space Station (ISS) crew member David Saint-Jacques of Canada gestures from a bus as he leaves to board shortly before the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. Maxim Shipenkov/Pool via REUTERSInternational Space Station (ISS) crew members David Saint-Jacques of Canada and Anne McClain of the U.S. gesture from a bus as they leave to board shortly before their launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 3, 2018. Maxim Shipenkov/Pool via REUTERS
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