U.S. astronaut Shane Kimbrough, center, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, bottom, and Andrey Borisenko, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), wave before boarding the Soyuz MS-02 space ship, in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (Maxim Shipenkov/Pool Photo via AP)
The Associated Press
BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (AP) - A Soyuz rocket carrying two Russians and an American has blasted off for the International Space Station.
The crew of Roscosmos Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough lifted off as scheduled from the Russian-operated Baikonur launch facility in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 2:05 p.m. local time (0805 GMT) Wednesday.
The Soyuz MS-02 space capsule is set to dock at the space outpost on Friday.
The capsule successfully reached the designated orbit about nine minutes after the launch. Space officials said its systems were working flawlessly and the crew was feeling fine.
The launch was originally set for Sept. 23, but it was postponed because of a technical issue with the Soyuz spacecraft that was eventually fixed.
Kimbrough, Ryzhikov and Borisenko are to spend just over four months at the station before coming back to Earth in late February.
The Soyuz rocket booster with Soyuz MS-2 space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station, ISS, blasts off in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. The Russian rocket carries US astronaut Shane Kimbrough, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
The Associated Press
U.S. astronaut Shane Kimbrough, a member of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), has his space suit tested prior to the launch of the Soyuz MS-02 space ship in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, pool)
The Associated Press
U.S. astronaut Shane Kimbrough, front left, and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, front right, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), attend space suits test prior to the start of the Soyuz MS-02 space ship, in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool)
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U.S. astronaut Shane Kimbrough, a member of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), talks to his relatives prior to the launch of the Soyuz MS-02 space ship, in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool)
The Associated Press
Russian cosmonaut Andrey Borisenko, a member of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), has his space suit tested prior to the launch of the Soyuz MS-02 space ship in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool)
The Associated Press
U.S. astronaut Shane Kimbrough, foreground, member of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), has his space suit tested as his compatriot Mark Vande Hei takes photos, prior to the start of the Soyuz MS-02 space ship, in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool)
The Associated Press
U.S. astronaut Shane Kimbrough, right, and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), have their space suits tested prior to the start of the Soyuz MS-02 space ship, in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool)
The Associated Press
US astronaut Shane Kimbrough, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), board the Soyuz MS-02 space ship, in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (Maxim Shipenkov/Pool Photo via AP)
The Associated Press
U.S. astronaut Shane Kimbrough, member of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), has his space suit tested prior to the start of the Soyuz MS-02 space ship, in Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool)
The Associated Press