On September 12, 2017 at 21:17 UTC (on September 13 at 00:17 Moscow time) the Russian “Soyuz MS-06” spacecraft was launched from Baykonur Cosmodrome. The space vehicle was orbited by the Russian “Soyuz-FG” rocket-carrier. The spacecraft is piloted by 3 cosmonauts: Commander, Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Misurkin (center); American astronauts Mark Vande Hei (right) and Joseph Acaba (left).

Photo by Russian Cosmonaut training center.

The space vehicle is to dock with the International Space Station at the same day (by Moscow time), September 13. Misurkin, Vande Hei and Acaba will join current ISS expedition members Ryazansky, Bresnik and Nespoli.