--- title: Watch as Astronauts Launch Into Space | TIME description: ISS Expedition 44 Soyuz TMA-17M Launch Coverage (Launch scheduled at 5:02 p.m. ET) canonical: https://time.com/video/mHERC13D/ og:title: Watch as Astronauts Launch Into Space og:description: ISS Expedition 44 Soyuz TMA-17M Launch Coverage (Launch scheduled at 5:02 p.m. ET) og:url: https://time.com/video/mHERC13D/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/mHERC13D/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch as Astronauts Launch Into Space twitter:description: ISS Expedition 44 Soyuz TMA-17M Launch Coverage (Launch scheduled at 5:02 p.m. ET) twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/mHERC13D/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Watch as Astronauts Launch Into Space > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Watch as Astronauts Launch Into Space [Watch (HLS stream): Watch as Astronauts Launch Into Space](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/mHERC13D.m3u8) (28:42)  _Published 2015-07-22. ISS Expedition 44 Soyuz TMA-17M Launch Coverage (Launch scheduled at 5:02 p.m. ET)_ --- Jul 27, 2023 6:34 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [3 Astronauts Arrive Safely on International Space Station Following Previous Failed Launch](/video/Np5aNtO0/) ### 3 Astronauts Arrive Safely on International Space Station Following Previous Failed Launch [TIME RAW: Soyuz Launch](/video/b178P3oQ/) ### TIME RAW: Soyuz Launch [Russian Soyuz Rocket Launched to International Space Station](/video/ICz86mxi/) ### Russian Soyuz Rocket Launched to International Space Station --- ## Transcript Ready for launch just under seven minutes from now. In the last couple of minutes the recorders have been activated onboard and the prelaunch operations have been completed. The final launch countdown operations are now sequencing to auto and the launch complex and vehicles systems are ready for launch. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] In just about a minute or so, the commander's controls will become active and the crew members will close their helmets and visors, and the launch key will be inserted, and yes that is a real key, into the bunker. It transitions the launch sequence into automatic mode. [ MUSIC ] You see Commander [ UNKNOWN ] in the center there. In this view he's to the left and at the top of the picture is [ UNKNOWN ], the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut set to fly for the first time today. The small object that you see moving there in the center is the small R2D2 toy that is suspended above the commanders seat position, and that is provided by his children. That you'll notice that throughout the launch phase and especially when the engines that shut down placing the SOES on orbit when zero gravity takes over after the engine shut down and the SOES is considered on orbit. [ MUSIC ] Five minutes, fifteen seconds to launch. [ MUSIC ] Enter the approach. We copy. The launch control reports the range at Baikonur is now clear. The SOES rocket is ready to begin its journey. Four minutes, 40 seconds from now. Come again I'm sorry we didn't copy. I'm sorry come again. [ INAUDIBLE ] We had music playing and we couldn't hear you. Very well. [ NOISE ] Inaudible. [ NOISE ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Four minutes to launch at this point. The combustion chamber is being purged with pure nitrogen. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] And at this point, the International Space Station is flying directly overhead the launch pad at 250 miles up, traveling at 17, 500 miles per hour at the. Time of launch, the station will be out over northeast Kazakhstan. [ INAUDIBLE ] And at the time of Soyuz orbital insertion, the station will be out over northeast China, 2, 243 miles ahead of the Soyuz spacecraft. [ INAUDIBLE ] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Ground propellant feeds have now been terminated. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Just under three minutes to launch. BLANK_AUDIO [ SOUND ] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ INAUDIBLE ] And the booster propellant tank has now been pressurized for flight. [ INAUDIBLE ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Two minutes to launch. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] About 30 seconds from now, the vehicle will transition to internal power. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ SOUND ] One minute to launch. [ SOUND ] [ NOISE ] Coming up on the transition to auto sequence start and the first umbilical tower separation. [ INAUDIBLE ] [ INAUDIBLE ] first tower, [ UNKNOWN ] Copy. 25 seconds. The third stage ground power umbilical is separated. Standing by for the issuance of launch command. Copy. [ NOISE ] We have engine start. Ten seconds to launch. [ INAUDIBLE ] We have lift- off. Lift- off of the Soyuz TMA 17M, on it's way to catch up with the International Space Station five hours forty- three minutes from now. [ NOISE ] [ INAUDIBLE ] Early reports of good first stage performance. [ INAUDIBLE ] [ UNKNOWN ] is delivering 900, 030 pounds of thrust from the four boosters and the single engine. The first stage of the Soyuz measures 68 feet in length, 24 feet in diameter. It's burning liquid fuel for the first two minutes, six seconds of the flight. [ SOUND ] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ SOUND ] Already travelling 1100 miles per hour and transitioning through the area of maximum dynamic pressure on the vehicle. [ iii ] The four strap- on boosters have been [ iii ] Those have completed their job. They've dropped away from the vehicle at an altitude of 28 statute miles. The vehicle's now traveling 3, 350 miles per hour. [ NOISE ] Standing by for launch shroud jettison. [ NOISE ] We are sending command number 12. Copy command number 12. We are receiving the image. Copy. All guidance systems are nominal at this point. The core stage of the Soyuz is a 56- feet tall spacecraft, 13 and a half feet in diameter. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Kjell Lindgren on his first voyage into space. Four minutes into the flight. The hundred seventy kilometers. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ FOREIGN ] 297 into the flight. Second stage separation the thrusters. Second stage separation has been confirmed. The Soyuz is now being propelled by the single engine of the third stage. An engine providing 67, 000 pounds of thrust which will burn for the next [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Korolev site outside Moscow, the home of the Russian Mission Control Center for the International Space Station and for on- orbit operations of the Soyuz spacecraft. [ FOREIGN ] 650 seconds into the flight, everything is fine. Six minutes into the mission, two minutes 45 seconds remain in powered flight. Three crew members on their way to a rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station later tonight. Soyuz commander Alec Codonyanko and Kamia Yuuie from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency [ INAUDIBLE ] Kjell Lindgren, US Astronaut. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Traveling more than 10, 000 miles per hour now. Approaching seven minutes into the flight. Launch occurred on time at 4: 02 this afternoon Central time, 5: 02 Eastern Daylight time, 3: 02 AM Thursday morning at the Bycon Orcosmic Zone in Kazakstan. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Seven minutes thirty seconds into the flight. The SOES is now traveling 13, 500 miles per hour and all reports are continuing that the vehicle is operating as expect. Once the third stage delivers the SOES to orbit and the module is separated, there's a series of pre programmed commands that will be executed to prepare the SOES for orbital operations. These stored commands are called time- tagged commands, and they allow many of the Soyuz's systems to be automatically activated by onboard computers at precise times, that are stored inside those computer software 8 minutes, 15 seconds into the flight, 30 seconds remaining in powered flight. All control the control systems are functioning normally. 8 minutes, 30 seconds, we're standing by for third stage cut off and separation from the Soyuz space craft. [ NOISE ] and that confirms it. The third stage is shut down. Welcome to space Olin Colinyanko, Kimi I Yui, and Chow Lingren. A very smooth ride to orbit following launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Page 33. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Third stage actually performs a slight avoidance maneuver to, which occurs by opening a valve in its liquid oxygen tank. [ FOREIGN ] [ CROSSTALK ] Declarations went well. Everything is fine. Those time tag commands are already doing their job. The solar rays on the space craft have been deployed. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Info / one. [ FOREIGN ] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ FOREIGN ] 001430 copy? [ INAUDIBLE ] [ FOREIGN ] You will have to set the command of the inhibit of [ UNKNOWN ] control. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Unintelligible. And just to correct one of the solar panels has been deployed. They're issuing commands for the deployment of the second solar array on the Soyuz spacecraft. One [ FOREIGN ] Copy, the one is set, copy. [ FOREIGN ] I'm sorry, Moscow please, now perform the durations with TV. [ FOREIGN ] Step four. [ FOREIGN ] Command, yes copy, please continue working. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ SOUND ] [ FOREIGN ] [ UNKNOWN ] Moscow, we are ready to. [ CROSSTALK ] Copy your first measurement. [ INAUDIBLE ] Inaudible. [ INAUDIBLE ] The [ INAUDIBLE ] pressure. [ INAUDIBLE ] eight, eleven [ INAUDIBLE ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] At Z time 0013. [ INAUDIBLE ] Inaudible. [ FOREIGN ] [ FOREIGN ] We're under those 17, it's 17. 5, 200 and 64. The next parameter 1 and 9, 22, 32, 5. 23, 30 [ UNKNOWN ] one. 24, 70 point one. 25, 70 point two. 26, 266 and the next one is 8, 8 and zero. it's the parameter's [ UNKNOWN ]. Okay, copy? [ FOREIGN ] I am reactivating the regress. Sending the [ UNKNOWN ] regress is deactivated. Copy? [ FOREIGN ] Do we have the [ UNKNOWN ] still [ UNKNOWN ]. Okay, copy? [ INAUDIBLE ] Okay. Copy. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Now a little more than 13 minutes into the flight. Recapping. The launch occurred on time at 402 this afternoon central, 502 PM eastern. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] All of the system activation is continuing onboard. We do not have confirmation that one of the solar arrays deployed. So we'll just keep listening to the checkouts. The Coors automated rendezvous and docking system test is underway on board. So the spacecraft's systems are healthy as is the crew. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ FOREIGN ] Moscow [ UNKNOWN ], we have started the building of the local vertical. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] And [ UNKNOWN ] of four Was it great? [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ FOREIGN ] Status Moscow. [ FOREIGN ] Go ahead Moscow. [ FOREIGN ] So the solar arrays have deployed. Everything is nominal? Okay copy Moscow. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ FOREIGN ] The second set course for a duration was nominal. We are transferring to Number 144. Everything is nominal. We are standing by for the second reading. It, the second. If that's not enough? The reading 787. then stop. And 74 It's the pressure reading. Okay, copy. [ FOREIGN ] Can you check the indicators on the panels and everything is fine. Moscow, no comment and issues. [ FOREIGN ] Enter it by the nap. Please prepare everything as per page 45 step number 1. Okay, we'll do Moscow. [ FOREIGN ] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ FOREIGN ] Status Zulu 1 13 4. And LOS is at 0 1 56. [ FOREIGN ] Copy. So 0 1 34 and LOS is 0 1 56. What is that? [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ FOREIGN ] [ UNKNOWN ] [ FOREIGN ] Go ahead. [ FOREIGN ] You can. [ FOREIGN ] [ FOREIGN ] Release a little bit of your distress. [ FOREIGN ] Pardon? Please work with the thermal sensors at the scheduled time. [ FOREIGN ] The parameters of orbit are nominal. You can also open your visors. [ FOREIGN ] I copy. [ UNKNOWN ] [ FOREIGN ] We copy and we are opening the visors. [ FOREIGN ] Also you will have to remark. [ FOREIGN ] A page with the time of the UNKNOWN ] [ FOREIGN ] Okay so we are stage 45. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ FOREIGN ] [ UNKNOWN ] hear the time. [ FOREIGN ] 01, 36, 00. You will have to report it. [ CROSSTALK ] The time of [ INAUDIBLE ] 52015600. [ INAUDIBLE ] And a reminder. And you're hearing conversation between the Russian control center and the Crew commander for the Soyuz TMA 17M [ UNKNOWN ] as he methodically steps through the procedures, making sure the spacecraft is healthy on orbit. And we believe That they've confirmed that all of the appendages, including the solar rays are deployed and all of the systems are healthy aboard the vehicle. They were. Giving the crew the usual numbers, associated when there next ground pass will come. I'm about an hour and a half from now, when they will check in with the crew once again. Continuing on The path of it's four orbit five and a half plus hours rendezvous and docking sequence. As of now the. Docking remains scheduled for 9: 46 this evening, US Central Time, 10: 46 PM Eastern Time, just five hours 24 minutes from now. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ FOREIGN ] Moscow a status, what is the- [ FOREIGN ] LOS time? [ FOREIGN ] 0: 23 in 14 seconds. Could you please repeat the alert? Is 0023 is the LOS time. [ INAUDIBLE ] Okay. It's again you're coming with a lot of interference. [ UNKNOWN ] In 30 seconds we'll be at the end of the conference or LOS in 30 seconds. Now copy Moscow. In 30 seconds. [ INAUDIBLE ] this is [ INAUDIBLE ] talking to the Soyuz crew. [ INAUDIBLE ] You know you are coming up very weak. [ INAUDIBLE ] You were. [ FOREIGN ] There was a problem with the battery, but everything else is nominal, and we are using the short profile of docking. Rendezvous and docking. [ NOISE ] Everything else is nominal. Okay, copy, everything is nominal, and we're using the short profile of docking. Talk to you later. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Looking over the, from the pa Balcony looking over the floor of the Russian mission control center in Kurilov, outside Moscow. You heard just a moment ago Vladimir Soloviev, who is head of the flight director office there at the Russian mission control center talking with Oleg Kononenko, onboard the Soyuz spacecraft, giving him a go for the For orbit, six hour, just under six hour rendezvous, so the vehicle's in excellent shape, healthy. The last confirmation needed was the deployment of the second solar We don't have the telemetry here in Mission Control, and Huston of that but all the other appendages systems, we did confirm are in excellent shade and so the Soyuz is on it's way for a rondeaux and docking with the space station, and later tonight, U. S. time Thursday afternoon Moscow time. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] There's a whole series of rendezvous manuevers now that will take place over the course of the next couple of hours, the first of which is the First rendezvous burned, known as DV1. That actually should be coming up in the next 20 minutes or so. It'll be a 58. 8 foot per second rendezvous maneuver. It's about a 40 mile per hour change in velocity of the vehicle to refine, start the process of. We're finding its orbit in relation to that of the International Space Station. And again, there's a whole series of these DV burns that happen over the course of the next four hours or so, putting it in close proximity with the station. And, of course, the rendezvous and docking activities that will begin Once the vehicle is within range of about 50 miles or so of the International Space Station. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Watch as Astronauts Launch Into Space","description":"ISS Expedition 44 Soyuz TMA-17M Launch Coverage (Launch scheduled at 5:02 p.m. ET)","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/mHERC13D/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-07-22T22:10:02.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/mHERC13D.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/video/mHERC13D/","duration":"PT28M42S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/video/mHERC13D/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}} ```