Tim Peake, Tim Kopra and Yuri Malenchenko on the International Space Station will be joined by three new astronauts after they are launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan today.
NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will begin their six-month mission with a lift off in a Soyuz spacecraft at 21:26 GMT on Friday, March 18.
Watch a replay of the launch and docking via NASA Television below:
Here is a launch timeline in GMT, add one hour for Central European Time:
March 18
15:26 Crew departs Cosmonaut Hotel (L-6)
15:41 Batteries installed in booster
16:11 Crew arrives at Site 254
16:26 Tanking begins
16:56 Crew suit up
16:21 Booster loaded with liquid oxygen
17:56 Crew meets family members on other side of the glass
18:21 First and second stage Oxygen fueling complete
18:26 Crew walkout from 254 and boards bus for the launch pad (L-3)
18:31 Crew departs for launch pad (Site 1)
18:51 Crew arrives at launch pad (Site 1)
19:01 Crew boards Soyuz; strapped in to the Descent module
19:51 Descent module hardware tested
20:06 Hatch closed; leak checks begin
20:26 Launch vehicle control system prep; gyro activation (L-1)
20:30 NASA TV Launch Coverage Begins
20:40 NASA TV: Crew pre-launch activities played (B-roll)
20:41 Pad service structure components lowered
20:42 Clamshell gantry service towers retracted
20:49 Suit leak checks begin; descent module testing complete
20:52 Emergency escape system armed
21:11 Suit leak checks complete; escape system to auto
21:16 Gyros in flight readiness and recorders activated
21:19 Pre-launch operations complete
21:20 Launch countdown operations to auto; vehicle ready
21:21 Commander’s controls activated
21:22 Combustion chamber nitrogen purge
21:23 ISS FLIES OVER THE BAIKONUR COSMODROME
21:23 Propellant drainback
21:23 Booster propellant tank pressurization
21:25 Ground propellant feed terminated
21:25 Vehicle to internal power
21:26 First umbilical tower separates
Auto sequence start
21:26 Ground umbilical to third stage disconnected
21:26 Second umbilical tower separates
21:26 Launch command issued
Engine Start Sequence Begins
21:26 Engine turbopumps at flight speed
21:26 Engines at maximum thrust
21:26 Launch of SOYUZ TMA-20M to the ISS
Saturday 19 March
02:30 Docking Coverage Begins on NASA TV
03:11 Docking to the ISS
04:30 Hatch opening coverage begins on NASA TV
04:55 Hatch opens
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