A US-Russian crew of three began a mission to the International Space Station aboard a Russian spacecraft following a successful launch.

A Soyuz booster rocket lifted off at 2.27pm local time (9.27am 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 lift-off.

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 astronauts Mike Fi

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