Soyuz launches Russian, NASA astronauts to International Space Station

Last Updated Mar 25, 2014 6:00 PM EDT

A veteran Russian space station commander, a rookie cosmonaut and a NASA shuttle flier rocketed into space aboard a Russian Soyuz ferry craft Tuesday, kicking off a four-orbit rendezvous with the International Space Station to boost the lab's crew back to six.

Despite Russia's annexation of Crimea and escalating superpower tit-for-tat sanctions, U.S. and Russian space engineers are continuing to cooperate on the high frontier, jointly operating the most complex spacecraft ever built.

Three fresh crew members - Soyuz TMA-12M commander Alexander Skvortsov, flight engineer Oleg Artemyev and NASA astronaut Steven Swanson -- lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Tuesday at 5:17 p.m. EDT (GMT-4; 3:17 a.m. Wednesday local time).

Television views showed a rushing torrent of fiery exhaust as the rocket climbed away from its firing stand, quickly arcing to the northeast on a trajectory into the plane of the space station's orbit.

In-cabin video showed the crew members strapped into their seats inside the cramped central command module, monitoring cockpit displays as Russian flight controllers checked in from time to time with performance updates. All three crew members appeared relaxed and in good spirits.

"Everything is nominal on board, and we are feeling great," Skvortsov called.

NASA astronaut Steven Swanson and two Russian cosmonauts on their way to the International Space Station, March 25, 2014.

NASA

"OK, guys, have a successful flight," someone called from the Russian flight control center.

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Soyuz launches Russian, NASA astronauts to International Space Station