MOSCOW — A U.S.-Russian crew of three began a mission on the International Space Station after being launched there on a Russian spacecraft Thursday.

A Soyuz booster rocket lifted off at 2:27 p.m. 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 Russian crewmates, Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov. The craft docked at the International Space Station at 5:34 p.m.

The 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.

Already on the space station are NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman and Jonny Kim, Japan Aerospa

See Full Page