Russia launches Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft with int'l crew to ISS

MOSCOW -- Russia on Wednesday successfully launched its Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft carrying three crew members to the International Space Station (ISS), the Russian State Corporation Roscosmos said.

The launch of a Soyuz-FG carrier rocket with the spacecraft took place at 14:12 pm local time (1112 GMT) from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, it said in a statement.

The spacecraft's crew includes Russian cosmonaut Sergei Prokopyev, US astronaut Serena Aunon-Chancellor and German astronaut Alexander Gerst. They are scheduled to stay on board the space station for 187 days.

The crew will have to perform 55 scientific experiments during their mission, as well as head into outer space, carry out maintenance work and shoot videos.

The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the ISS at 04:07 pm Moscow time (1307 GMT) on Friday, Roscosmos said.