MOSCOW (AP) — A U.S.-Russian crew of three began a mission to the International Space Station aboard a Russian spacecraft following a succesful launch Thursday.

A Soyuz booster rocket lifted off at 2:27 p.m. (9:27 a.m. GMT) from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan to put the Soyuz MS-28 into orbit.

The spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Russian crewmates, Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov. They were scheduled to dock at the station about three hours after liftoff.

All three are expected to spend about eight months at the orbiting outpost. NASA said this is the first spaceflight for Williams, a physicist, and Mikaev, a military pilot. This is the second flight for Kud-Sverchkov.

At the International Space Station, the trio will join NASA a

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