Soyuz-TMA-07M Spacecraft Lifts Off

A new International Space Station (ISS) expedition lifted off from the Baikonur Space Center on schedule on Wednesday. The spacecraft blasted off from the same launch pad Yury Gagarin used for his trailblazing space flight in 1961. Photo: Astronaut Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency; Cosmonaut Roman Romanenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and NASA Astronaut Thomas Marshburn (From left).

The spacecraft lifted off at 4:12 pm Moscow Time and separated from the third stage of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle at 4:21 pm. The Soyuz-TMA-07M spacecraft is to dock with the International Space Station in automatic mode at 6:12 pm on December 21. Photo: Relatives and friends of the international crew of the Soyuz-TMA-07M manned spacecraft.

The new crew comprising Cosmonaut Roman Romanenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), NASA Astronaut Thomas Marshburn and Astronaut Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency is to conduct numerous research experiments aboard the International Space Station.

The ISS crew will have to conduct over 130 research experiments in line with NASA programs alone. Photo: Cosmonaut Roman Romanenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos).

The new ISS crew will also have to unload four Russian Progress-type cargo craft scheduled to arrived during their stay in space. Moreover, expedition members will have to receive an ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle)-4 robotic cargo craft of the European Space Agency, as well as the new Dragon spacecraft developed in the United States. The new ISS crew will also conduct two space walks in line with Russian and US programs. Photo: NASA Astronaut Thomas Marshburn.

Although the Soyuz-TMA-07M launch was initially scheduled for December 5, it was also postponed due to the delayed October launch of the previous ISS expedition. Photo: Cosmonaut Roman Romanenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos).