Soyuz space capsule has successfully blasted off from Kazakhstan for a five-month mission on the International Space Station. A three-man crew from Italy, Russia and the United States, Soyuz craft is carrying NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryazansky and Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency take off from the Baikonur cosmodrome. <br /><br /> This trio of astronauts from the United States, Russia and Italy headed for the International Space Station is a step toward boosting US research projects aboard the orbiting laboratory. -
Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: The arrival of the three astronauts will boost the ISS back up to its full capacity of six for the time since April, after Russia decided to cut the number of its cosmonauts to two. (Reuters)
Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: NASA has responded to Russia's reduction by boosting the number of astronauts that will operate in its half of the ISS. (Reuters) -
Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: In total, four astronauts — Peggy Whitson, Jack Fischer, Bresnik and Nespoli — will now conduct experiments in the NASA-run segment, with Ryazansky joining Fyodor Yurchikhin to man the Russian section. (Reuters)
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Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: Bresnik said at a pre-launch press conference that the extra member would help the crew conduct experiments as well as carry out repairs. (AP Photo)
Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: The five-month mission will witness many experiments and there is a ton of science to do. (AP Photo) 
Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: Bresnik — who is on his second flight — also praised the work of Whitson, Fischer and Yurchikhin, already aboard the orbital lab. (Reuters) -
Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: Ryazansky, 42, who is embarking on his third stint aboard the ISS said at the press conference that he would be taking a small gnome into space in tribute to a song beloved by his family. (AP Photo)
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Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: At 60-year-old and with 174 days logged in space, Nespoli is the most experienced of the three fliers, but the Italian made it clear his love for space travel hasn't faded over time. (Reuters)
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Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: The men are slated to return to Earth in December. (AP Photo)
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Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: The $100-billion ISS space laboratory has been orbiting Earth at about 28,000 kilometres per hour since 1998. (AP Photo)
Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: Space is one of the few areas of international cooperation between Russia and the US that has not been wrecked by tensions over Ukraine and Syria. (Reuters) 
Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: By the end of next year, NASA intends to begin flying astronauts aboard space taxis under development by SpaceX and Boeing. (Reuters) -
Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: The newly-expanded Expedition 52 crew soon will conduct new science investigations arriving on SpaceX’s 12th NASA-contracted commercial resupply mission targeted to launch in August. (AP Photo)
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Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft: The crew will use the special nature of microgravity in a new lung tissue study to advance understanding of how stem cells work and pave the way for further use of the microgravity environment in stem cell research. (AP Photo)
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