Russian Rocket Blasts Off On Historic Mission

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Robert Thirsk, Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, and ESA astronaut Frank De Winne (left to right) during preparations before the Soyuz TMA-15 launch from Baikonur on May 27

KOROLYOV (Reuters) -- A Russian Soyuz spacecraft with three astronauts on board has blasted off from Kazakhstan in a mission that will increase the International Space Station crew to six for the first time.

Belgian Frank de Winne, Canadian Robert Thirsk, and Russian Roman Romanenko lifted off from Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan as planned, an official at Russian Mission Control outside Moscow said.