Japanese Tourists Blast Off to International Space Station

Japanese space tourists, businessman Yusaku Maezawa (L) and his aide Yozo Hirano wave goodbye from a bus that carries them to the launch site at Baikonur cosmodrome, 8 December 2021.

A fox looks on in front of the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft mounted on the launch pad at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 7 December 2021.

Members of the 20th expedition to the ISS, Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin and two Japanese space tourists, Yusaku Maezawa and Yozo Hirano, wave goodbye from a bus at the Baikonur cosmodrome.

Well-wishers hold flags before Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin and space flight participants Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa and his production assistant Yozo Hirano depart for a pre-launch preparation ahead of their launch to the International Space Station (ISS), in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin (C) and space tourists, Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa and his production assistant Yozo Hirano, walk before departing for their launch to the International Space Station (ISS)

Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin (first from below) and space tourists, Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa and his production assistant Yozo Hirano, wave to well-wishers before the launch of the Soyuz-2.1 rocket with the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft to the International Space Station.

Japanese space tourist Yusaku Maezawa waves to the public as he climbs the Soyuz-2.1a rocket before the launch to the ISS.

The Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft carrying the crew of Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and his production assistant Yozo Hirano blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the Moscow-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 8 December 2021.

The Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft carrying the crew of Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and his production assistant Yozo Hirano blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the Moscow-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

In this photo taken from video footage released by the Roscosmos Space Agency, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, bottom, and spaceflight participant Yusaku Maezawa, of Japan, above, are seen inside the spaceship as the Soyuz-2.1a rocket booster blasts off from the Baikonur cosmodrome.

The launch of a Soyuz-2.1a rocket with a Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft

Column of smoke seen in the sky after the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft carrying Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, space flight participant Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa and his production assistant Yozo Hirano, blasted off to the International Space Station.