ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

Official portrait of the Soyuz TMA-18M crew from the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. Left to right: Aidyn Aimbetov (KazCosmos), Sergei Volkov (Roscosmos) and Andreas Mogensen (ESA).

Read more about Andreas's crewmates on ESA's iriss website: www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/iriss/Andrea...

Credit: GCTC

The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Image of the approaching Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft taken by NASA astronaut Scott Kelly from on board the International Space Station.

On board the Soyuz were ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov.

Follow Andreas Mogensen's mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA/NASA

130E6071

The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landing site is seen through the window of an arriving Russian MI-8 helicopter after Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos landed in their capsule near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos rests in a chair outside of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft just minutes after he and Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA rests in a chair outside of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft just minutes after he and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Russian Search and Rescue teams arrive at the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft after it landed with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko, left, Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos, center, and Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA, rest in chairs outside of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft just minutes after they landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos is carried into a medical tent after he and Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA rest in a chair outside of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft just minutes after he and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos is carried into a medical tent after he and Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov landed in their Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft is seen descending into the fog as it lands with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA is helped out of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft just minutes after he and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA is carried into a medical tent after he and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Volkov, and Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos landed in their Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Director for Human Space Flight Programs - Russia Sean Fuller talks on a satellite phone as an all terrain vehicle (ATV) brings Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA to a waiting helicopter at the soyuz landing site near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos is helped out of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft just minutes after he and Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Russian Search and Rescue teams work on top of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft after Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos landed and were extracted from the capsule near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

Russian Search and Rescue teams are seen at the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landing site after Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos landed the capsule near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos rest in a chair outside of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft and visits with his father, former cosmonaut Alexander Volkov, left, just minutes after he and Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA rests in a chair outside of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft just minutes after he and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

Official portrait of ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen from the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre.

Credit: GCTC

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

Soyuz TMA-18M crew members ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov, and Roscosmos spacecraft commander Sergei Volkov, greeting audience at the launch pad in Baikonour, Kazakhstan, on 2 September 2015.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2015

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

Soyuz TMA-18M crew members ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov, and Roscosmos spacecraft commander Sergei Volkov, greeting audience at the launch pad in Baikonour, Kazakhstan, on 2 September 2015.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2015

Russian Search and Rescue teams arrive at the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft after it landed with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Former cosmonaut and father of Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov, Alexander Volkov waits for his son to be extracted from the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen greeting audience at the launch pad in Baikonour, Kazakhstan, on 2 September 2015.

Andreas Mogensen will leave for the International Space Station with commander Sergei Volkov and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2015

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen greeting audience at the launch pad in Baikonour, Kazakhstan, on 2 September 2015.

Andreas Mogensen will leave for the International Space Station with commander Sergei Volkov and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2015

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space on 2 September at 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The launch marks the start of ESA’s 10-day ‘iriss’ mission that will focus on testing new technologies and ways of running complex space missions.

The astronaut’s Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft was pushed into Earth orbit as planned accelerating 50 km/h on every second for the first nine minutes of their launch.

Their docking is planned on 4 September at 07:42 GMT (09:42 CEST) but they will not enter their new home in space until the astronauts on both sides of the spacecraft hatch to ensure that there are no leaks.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA-S. Corvaja

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen dressed in his Russian Sokol suit, with his backup, ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, ready for launch to the International Space Station, from the Baikonour cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan, on 2 September 2015.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2015

The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft ready for launch, on 2 September 2015.

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen will leave for the International Space Station from Baikonour cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with commander Sergei Volkov and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2015

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen greeting audience at the launch pad in Baikonour, Kazakhstan, on 2 September 2015.

Andreas Mogensen will leave for the International Space Station with commander Sergei Volkov and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2015

Igor Komarov, Head of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), and Soyuz TMA-18M crew members, Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov, Soyuz spacecraft commander Sergei Volkov and ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, at the launch pad, in Baikonour, Kazakhstan, on 2 September 2015.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the iriss mission blog and Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Andreas at: andreasmogensen.esa.int/

Credit: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2015