Posted: Thu, Oct 14, 2004, 6:21 AM ET (1021 GMT)
Russia launched a Soyuz spacecraft early Thursday carrying a new crew for the International Space Station. The Soyuz booster lifted off at 11:06 pm EDT Wednesday (0306 GMT Thursday), placing the Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft into orbit. Leroy Chiao and Salizhan Sharipov, as well as visiting Russian military cosmonaut Yuri Shargin. Chiao and Sharipov will relieve the current ISS Expedition Nine crew of Mike Fincke and Gennady Padalka. Fincke and Padalka will return to Earth on October 23, along with Shargin. The Soyuz is scheduled to dock with the ISS at 12:25 am EDT (0425 GMT) Saturday.

Related Links:

•  Spaceflight Now article
•  SPACE.com article
•  Reuters article
•  AP article
•  NASA ISS status report