Soyuz TMA-02M Leaves Earth

Soyuz TMA-02M/27S was launched on time at 4:12:45 pm EDT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and is on its way to orbit. NASA astronaut Mike Fossum, Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa are on board.

The spacecraft will dock with the ISS on 9 June at approximately 5:22pm EDT to the Rassvet module on the Earth-facing side of the station Thursday. After hatch opening, the trio will be welcomed aboard by their Expedition 28 crewmates, Commander Andrey Borisenko and Flight Engineers Alexander Samokutyaev and Ron Garan, who have been living and working on the station since April 6.