Taking off: NASA astronauts launch to space station
NASA astronaut and Timonium native Reid Wiseman is headed into space Wednesday. Wiseman, with Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and German astronaut Alexander Gerst, were scheduled to launch at 3:57 p.m. from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome – shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday in local time. Six hours later, they are expected to dock with the International Space Station.
- People look at the Russia’s Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) crew of European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst, Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman blasting off from the launch pad at Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome early on May 29, 2014. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- Russia’s Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) crew of European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst, Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman blasts off from the launch pad at Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome early on May 29, 2014. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- Russia’s Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) crew of European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst, Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman blasts off from the launch pad at Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, early on May 29, 2014. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst (L) and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman wave after their space suits were tested at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS) late on May 28, 2014 . The launch of the Soyuz TMA-13M with the international crew aboard is scheduled early on May 29 local time. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst (L), Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev (2ndL) and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman shake hands with head of Russia’s Space agengy Oleg Ostapenko (2ndR) after their space suits were tested at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS) late on May 28, 2014 . The launch of the Soyuz TMA-13M with the international crew aboard is scheduled early on May 29 local time. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst (L), Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev (C) and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman walk after their space suits were tested at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS) late on May 28, 2014 . The launch of the Soyuz TMA-13M with the international crew aboard is scheduled early on May 29 local time. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst, Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman walk after their space suits were tested at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome late on May 28, 2014 . The launch of the Soyuz TMA-13M with the international crew aboard is scheduled early on May 29 local time. (Dmitry Lovetsky/AFP/Getty Images)
- European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst (2ndL), Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev (C) and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman (L) test their space suits at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS) late on May 28, 2014. The launch of the Soyuz TMA-13M with the international crew aboard is scheduled early on May 29 local time. (Kirl Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman tests his space suit at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS) late on May 28, 2014. The launch of the Soyuz TMA-13M with the international crew aboard is scheduled early on May 29 local time. (Kirill Kurayavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- This handout picture taken a released by the European Space Agency (ESA) on May 28, 2014 shows Expedition 40/41 crew members – ESA German astronaut Alexander Gerst, Russian cosmonaut Max Suraev, and US astronaut Reid Wiseman of NASA sitting wearing dressed in their Russian Sokol space suits, in preparation for launch of a Soyuz rocket will connect with the International Space Station (ISS), in Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
- European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst (back, L), Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev (back, 2ndL) and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman (back, 3rdL) attend their press-conference at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome on May 27, 2014.The three-man crew of European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst, Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman is scheduled to blast off to the ISS from Baikonur on May 28. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- A Russian Orthodox priest blesses the Soyuz TMA1-13M spacecraft at the launch pad of the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome on May 27, 2014. The three-man crew of European Space Agency’s German astronaut Alexander Gerst, Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and US NASA astronaut Gregory Wiseman is scheduled to blast off to the ISS from Baikonur on May 28. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
- In this handout frm NASA, the Soyuz TMA-13M rocket is launches with Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA), and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA, onboard May 28, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Suraev, Gerst and Wiseman will spend the next five and a half months aboard to the International Space Station. (Photo Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
- In this handout frm NASA, a 30-second exposure capture the Soyuz TMA-13M rocket launching with Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA), and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA, onboard May 28, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Suraev, Gerst and Wiseman will spend the next five and a half months aboard to the International Space Station. (Photo Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
- Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA), and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA, wave prior to boarding the Soyuz TMA-13M rocket for launch May 28, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Suraev, Gerst and Wiseman will launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station on May 29. (Photo Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
- Expedition 40 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA), Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA, wave before they depart the Cosmonaut Hotel May 28, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Suraev, Gerst and Wiseman will launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station on May 29. (Photo Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
- Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA, performs the traditional door signing at the Cosmonaut Hotel prior to departing the hotel for launch May 28, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Suraev, Gerst and Wiseman will launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station on May 29. (Photo Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
- Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA), and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA, wave prior to boarding the Soyuz TMA-13M rocket for launch May 28, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Suraev, Gerst and Wiseman will launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station on May 29. (Photo Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
- Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) performs the traditional door signing at the Cosmonaut Hotel prior to departing the hotel for launch May 28, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Suraev, Gerst and Wiseman will launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station on May 29. (Photo Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
- Expedition 40 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA), Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA, celebrate during a press conference at the Cosmonaut Hotel May 27, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Suraev, Roscosmos, Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA will launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station on May 29. Photo Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
- In this handout provided by NASA, The Soyuz spacecraft is rolled out by train to launch pad 1 at Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad on May 26, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The launch of the Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station (ISS) on Expedition 40/4 is scheduled at 20:56 GMT (21:56 pm CEST) on 28 May. (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
- In this handout provided by NASA, The Soyuz spacecraft is rolled out by train to launch pad 1 at Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad on May 26, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The launch of the Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station (ISS) on Expedition 40/4 is scheduled at 20:56 GMT (21:56 pm CEST) on 28 May. (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)