The Expedition 31 crewmembers, Gennady Padalka, Joe Acaba and Sergei Revin, are on their way to the International Space Station after their launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 05:01 CEST (03:01 UT) this morning.

Their Soyuz TMA-04 spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the ISS on Thursday where they will be welcomed on board by the current Station residents, Don Pettit, André Kuipers and Oleg Kononenko. Their arrival will bring the Station’s Expedition 31 crew to its full six-strong complement.

Photos from NASA Photographer Bill Ingalls are available on the NASA Flickr photosteam

Watch the replay from NASA TV: