Hooks and latches have engaged, firmly anchoring Progress M-16M to its docking port at the International Space Station where the freighter will remain parked through Dec. 25.

The crew will open the hatchway and ingress the freighter on Thursday.

The official elapsed time from liftoff to docking was 5 hours, 43 minutes, Mission Control reports.

The docking occurred as the space station flew 253 miles off the western coast of South America.

Over the next few minutes, the Progress docking probe will retract to allow hooks and latches to bring the spacecraft to a firm seal with the station.

DOCKING. The speedy supply ship known as Progress M-16M has docked to the Pirs module of the International Space Station, completing a same-day launch and rendezvous demonstration to deliver a fresh load of provisions, spare parts and rocket fuel for orbiting laboratory complex.

This trek from the Baikonur pad to the outpost took just four orbits and less than six hours versus the usual 34 orbits and 50 hours.

The freighter is carrying nearly three tons of food, fuel and supplies for the orbiting outpost, including 1,962 pounds of propellant for the station's Russian maneuvering thrusters, 110 pounds of oxygen, 925 pounds of water and 2,817 pounds of spare parts, maintenance items and experiment hardware.

About 16 feet to go.

A steady, stable approach using Progress vehicle's automated rendezvous system continues.

Passing through 80 feet.

Now inside 98 feet and closing at 0.26 miles per hour.

Just 175 feet to docking.

Now 230 feet, closing at 0.73 miles per hour.

Now 492 feet to docking, closing at 1.9 mph.

The Russian flight control team has given approval for the final approach to commence a few minutes ahead of schedule.

This stationkeeping hold point is occurring about 650 feet between Progress and the Pirs port.

Progress has completed the flyaround to align with the docking port. It's now in the stationkeeping hold while controllers verify all is in readiness for final approach.

The vessel is completing a roll maneuver as part of the sequence to prepare for docking.

Now 820 feet separating the two spacecraft as they fly 253 miles over the South Pacific.

The freighter is flying itself around the international outpost to get into the approach corridor leading to the Pirs compartment's docking port.

Nearing the 1,000-foot mark.

Now 2,000 feet separating the two spacecraft, closing at 4.5 mph now after a series of breaking maneuvers were carried out.

Progress continues this automated rendezvous in smooth fashion.

Progress M-16M is 6,500 feet from the station, closing at 13 miles per hour.

Mission Control reports everything has gone very well in today's rendezvous thus far. No problems have been encountered with the Progress spacecraft since its launch a little over five hours ago, and the terminal phase of the rendezvous commenced around 7 p.m. EDT after the initial four burns were performed as planned.

The Progress spacecraft is nearing the International Space Station for docking a little more than a half-hour from now at 9:24 p.m. EDT. You can watch live NASA Television coverage right here on this page.

The Progress spacecraft carrying three tons of provisions for the International Space Station will intercept the complex for docking just six hours after launch.

Today's liftoff occurred at 3:35:13 p.m. EDT -- the moment when the Earth's rotation brought the Baikonur pad into alignment with the space station's orbital plane and when the phase angle was precisely acceptable to perform the ascent.

For the previous two-day pursuits, the phase angle could be up 300 degrees and the station flying as much as three-quarters of an orbit ahead of the Progress. But for today, the angle was just 30 degrees and the station only 2,360 miles ahead at the time of launch.

Conducting this single-day launch and rendezvous is enabled through good orbital mechanics and that phase angle. The rendezvous also puts four large engine burns occurring in short order today versus spreading those out over a couple of days in the normal profile.

"The launch profile is confined to a much narrower phase angle, or corridor, and requires the station altitude to be more precise at launch," said NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries.

"As you know, we do orbit adjustment burns to optimize rendezvous for visiting spacecraft and this profile has narrower parameters for station altitude."

Given that smaller target, launch opportunities come every three days instead of every two days, he added.

This "rapid rendezvous" is a demonstration to shorten the usual 50-hour trek to just 6 hours, a plan that could be implemented on Soyuz crew capsule ascents to dramatically lessen the time astronauts spend cooped up in their cramped spacecraft en route to the orbiting laboratory.

"Don't know how soon the partners will agree to try this for a crewed Soyuz launch. We'll let the Russians evaluate the data from the unmanned testing before we start considering that," Humphries said.

The rendezvous burns begin with a 30 mph firing at 4:25 p.m. and a 42 mph change in velocity at 5:04 p.m. EDT. A pair of 16 mph burns will occur at 5:38 and 6:10 p.m. EDT.

If those maneuvers fall short of targets, flight controllers have until about 7 p.m. EDT to default back to the 34-orbit rendezvous plan for docking on Friday afternoon. The automated rendezvous sequence starts at 7:04 p.m. EDT to control the activities via autopilot.

A 50 mph impulse is planned for 7:24 p.m. and a small 3 mph impulse is expected around 7:49 p.m. EDT, followed within minutes by activation of the Kurs rendezvous equipment on both the Progress and space station to guide the linkup. A 55 mph burn comes up at 8:10 p.m.

The two spacecraft should be within 60 miles of each other by 8:15 p.m., closing to less than 10 miles by 8:37 p.m. when a KURS test is conducted to verify proper range rate and closure speed data is being registered.

The television camera on the nose of Progress will be turned on at 7:44 p.m. to provide views of the docking.

A series of maneuvers between 8:52 and 8:59 p.m. will dramatically slow the freighter's closure rate, ultimately leading to the spacecraft beginning a flyaround of the space station at 9:02 p.m. to align with the Pirs compartment's docking port.

After a stationkeeping hold by the vessel to ensure all is in readiness for docking, the spacecraft will commence final approach at 9:14 p.m. for docking about 10 minutes later.

The linkup should occur at 9:24 p.m. EDT, just minutes after an orbital sunset.

Watch this page for live updates and streaming video of docking starting at 8:45 p.m. EDT (0045 GMT).

The craft has completed a programmed sequence to deploy the power-generating solar arrays, as well as antennas for navigational and communication systems. "A flawless climb to orbit," NASA launch commentator Rob Navias reports from Mission Control-Houston.

T+plus 9 minutes. SPACECRAFT SEPARATION! The Progress M-16M cargo ship is flying free after the upper stage finished its engine firing and then separated away. The spacecraft is headed for a docking with the International Space Station just hours from now at 9:24 p.m. EDT, employing a new "rapid rendezvous" procedure to shorten the trip from 34 orbits to only 4.

T+plus 8 minutes. About a minute remains in the propulsion by the upper stage. The motor consumes kerosene and liquid oxygen just like the Soyuz rocket's other powerplants.

T+plus 7 minutes. The four-nozzle engine of the upper stage continues to burn normally to inject the spacecraft into orbit.

T+plus 6 minutes. Soyuz's upper stage is firing to propel the spacecraft into a stable orbital perch around Earth. No problems reported at all during this ascent.

T+plus 5 minutes. The core stage of the Soyuz rocket has shut down and separated, leaving the upper stage to complete the job of injecting the Progress M-16M freighter into orbit.

T+plus 4 minutes. The core motor continues to fire on its propellant mixture of kerosene fuel and supercold liquid oxygen. Everything still going well in the climb to orbit.

T+plus 3 minutes. The launch shroud has been jettisoned from the atop the Soyuz rocket to uncover the Progress M-16M freighter.

T+plus 2 minutes, 10 seconds. The four strap-on boosters clustered around the Soyuz rocket's main stage have burned out and separated. The core motor continues to fire.

T+plus 60 seconds. Good performance one minute into this ascent for the Soyuz rocket with the unmanned cargo ship.

T+plus 30 seconds. The rocket is heading on course to reach the space station in just four orbits' time for docking at 9:24 p.m. EDT tonight. The station currently is flying 254 miles above eastern Kazakhstan, 2,360 miles ahead of the Progress.

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Russian Progress M-16M cargo craft for the first rapid rendezvous to the International Space Station!

T-minus 25 seconds. The first umbilical arm has separated from Soyuz. The second will retract in the next few seconds.

T-minus 1 minute and counting. Now running on internal power.

T-minus 2 minutes and counting. Rocket propellant tank pressurization is underway. The vehicle's onboard measurement system is activated. Oxidizer and fuel drain and safety valves of the launch vehicle have been closed.

T-minus 3 minutes and counting. The nitrogen purge of the combustion chambers of side and central engine pods of the rocket is being performed in preparation for ignition.

T-minus 4 minutes. The launch key has been inserted in the bunker for liftoff.

T-minus 5 minutes and counting. Liftoff will be originating from the same historic launch pad where the first man in space -- Yuri Gagarin -- was launched in 1961.

T-minus 6 minutes. The automatic program for final launch operations is being initiated.

T-minus 8 minutes and counting. Flight data recorders have been activated and the vehicle's gyroscopes are in flight-ready status.

T-minus 10 minutes and counting. This Progress M-16M spacecraft will dock to the International Space Station tonight and remain parked there through Dec. 25 at the Pirs compartment.

T-minus 15 minutes and counting to the middle-of-the-night launch from Baikonur. Liftoff is set to occur at 1:35 a.m. local time.

T-minus 20 minutes. This is the fourth of six planned Russian-provided cargo vessels for the International Space Station in 2012. That supply change is augmented by Europe's ATV, Japan's HTV and the new U.S. commercial firms.

T-minus 25 minutes. The freighter is carrying nearly three tons of food, fuel and supplies for the orbiting outpost, including 1,962 pounds of propellant for the station's Russian maneuvering thrusters, 110 pounds of oxygen, 925 pounds of water and 2,817 pounds of spare parts, maintenance items and experiment hardware.

T-minus 30 minutes. This is the 48th Progress cargo ship for the International Space Station dating back to 2000.

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T-minus 35 minutes. The International Space Station is staffed by the Expedition 32 crew with commander Gennady Padalka, NASA's Suni Williams and Joe Acaba, Russian cosmonauts Yuri Malenchenko and Sergei Revin, and Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

T-minus 40 minutes and counting! The clamshell-like launch pad gantry arms have been lowered away, unveiling the Soyuz rocket for today's liftoff.

Good day and welcome to our live launch coverage of the Progress M-16M cargo craft en route to the International Space Station for docking later tonight.

This "rapid rendezvous" is a demonstration to shorten the usual 50-hour trek to just 6 hours, a plan that could be implemented on Soyuz crew capsule ascents to dramatically lessen the time astronauts spend cooped up in their cramped spacecraft en route to the orbiting laboratory.

Liftoff is coming up at 3:35 p.m. EDT (1935 GMT) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Tonight's docking to the station's Pirs compartment is targeted for 9:24 p.m. EDT (0124 GMT).

The Soyuz rocket booster topped with the Russian-made resupply ship was transported by train from the final assembly building to the launch pad on Monday. It was hydraulically lifted upright onto the pad for the start of final preparations for this 48th cargo mission in support of the international outpost.

Fueling of the vehicle has been accomplished and the countdown is progressing. Retraction of the service gantry arms that enclosed the rocket during its pad stay will occur shortly.

The Russian State Commission met to review readiness of the Soyuz rocket for today's launch and granted official approval to proceed with fueling the booster with kerosene and liquid oxygen.

"After hearing the reports of the supervisors, the State Commission has decided (the integrated launch vehicle is) ready for filling with propellant components and launch. In accordance with the schedule of prelaunch specialists of Russian Space Agency began operations on the launch vehicle fueling," the Russian Space Agency said in a statement.

So we're now into the final hours of the count towards today's launch at 3:35 p.m. EDT.

Watch this page for live updates and streaming video of the blastoff! Coverage begins at 3:15 p.m. EDT.

UNDOCKING! The Russian Progress M-15M freighter, loaded with trash, has been jettisoned from the International Space Station to conclude its three-month visit to the outpost. Undocking occurred about 250 miles over Kazakhstan.

It will fly a few hundred miles away from the station to conduct a series of tests for Russian engineers before being deorbited later in August.

Join us back on Wednesday for live streaming video of the next Progress launch starting at 3:15 p.m. EDT (1915 GMT) and its docking to the station also Wednesday at 8:45 p.m. EDT (0045 GMT). The vehicle will be demonstrating a rapid rendezvous sequence lasting just four orbits.

The undocking command has been issued. Hooks and latches are driving open to prepare for the spring-loaded release of the Progress vehicle at 5:19 p.m.

Good day and welcome to live streaming video coverage of the Russian Progress M-15M cargo craft's final departure from the International Space Station. Separation is expected at 5:19 p.m. EDT (2119 GMT).

The freighter had undocked July 22 for a rendezvous and redocking to test a new autopilot system, which was successfully carried out Saturday night.

Now, it's time for the Progress to be jettisoned for its eventual destructive re-entry into the atmosphere, clearing the way for a new cargo-laden vehicle to arrive this Wednesday night carrying about three tons of food, fuel and supplies to the outpost.

Hooks and latches have engaged to bring the spacecraft to a firm seal with the station.

Progress M-15M docked to the Pirs compartment at 9:01 p.m. EDT while flying about 250 miles above the Earth to the west of New Guinea.The vehicle will remain there through Monday afternoon, departing the station for a second time at 5:16 p.m. EDT for eventual deorbiting. The Pirs port will be filled by the next Progress that launches on Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

DOCKING! The next-generation autopilot system being developed to guide future Russian Soyuz manned capsules and Progress resupply ships to the International Space Station has successfully docked a cargo freighter to the outpost!

Less than 7 feet. Standing by for contact and capture.

Just 26 feet left.

The freighter remains on course and lined up for docking. Approach using the new automated rendezvous system continues.

Now inside 65 feet and closing at the proper rates.

The range between Progress and station is about 147 feet, closing 0.33 mph.

About 165 feet left to go.

The range between Progress and station is about 215 feet, closing 0.7 mph.

Less than 330 feet now.

Now 472 feet to docking, closing at 1.7 mph.

Final approach is underway!

The Progress completed the flyaround to align with the docking port.

Now 580 feet from docking.

The vessel is completing a roll maneuver as part of the sequence to orient itself and solar wings for docking.

Now 682 feet between the two spacecraft.

Range to docking inside 750 feet.

Closing at 1.1 miles per hour now.

Just 1,000 feet separate the two craft now.

Progress is flying itself around the international outpost to get into the approach corridor leading to the Pirs compartment's docking port.

Progress is 1,400 feet from the station, closing at 2.9 miles per hour.

The flyaround maneuver is underway as Progress traverses about the space station to align with the Pirs compartment.

About 2,000 feet now.

The freighter is within 4,000 feet of the outpost now.

A pair of braking burns will be executed over the next few minutes to slow the rate of approach.

Progress is 10,500 feet from the station, closing at 4.9 miles per hour.

Progress is 22,000 feet from the station, closing at 14.7 miles per hour.

Distance between the two spacecraft is 5 miles.

A system test between the KURS elements on the Progress and station is being conducted to verify proper range rate and closure speed data is being registered.

Distance between the two spacecraft is 15 miles.

Confirmation from flight controllers that the link has been established between the KURS equipment inside the Progress and the Zvezda service module of the International Space Station.

Three of six planned engine burns by the Progress have been performed thus far. The rendezvous continues to go according to plan.

Activation has occurred! The KURS-NA updated autopilot aboard the Progress M-15M spacecraft just came to life for tonight's planned 9:00 p.m. EDT redocking with the International Space Station. Engineers believe the earlier glitch with the autopilot that caused an abort to the first rendezvous attempt on Monday was a temperature-induced problem.

Distance between the two spacecraft is 101 miles.

Temperatures in the Progress are reported at the proper value for activation of the KURS-NA at 7:01 p.m. EDT.

The International Space Station has maneuvered into the proper orientation for tonight's docking at 9:00 p.m. EDT.

A NASA spokesman says tests this week indicate temperature conditions on the Progress could have caused the KURS-NA system troubles on Monday night. Heaters have been turned on in preparation for tonight's rendezvous.

There has been a change to the timeline for tonight's redocking attempt by the Progress vehicle to exercise a new Russians autopilot. Activation of the autonomous rendezvous system now occurs at 7:01 p.m. EDT.

As a result, live coverage won't begin until 6:30 p.m. EDT.

Ready to take one more shot at accomplishing a test run using the advanced autopilot system intended for future Russian crew and cargo ships, the Progress M-15M will try again to activate its KURS-NA rendezvous system this afternoon at 5:25 p.m. EDT for a redocking to the International Space Station at 9:00 p.m. EDT.

We will have live updates and streaming video coverage starting at 5:00 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT).

The upgraded version of the tried-and-true KURS would require fewer antennas mounted on the visiting spacecraft and draw less power. But to prove the next-generation system will work, this current Progress was outfitted with the avionics equipment to fly an autonomous approach and docking to the International Space Station after having already completed its primary cargo-delivery purpose. It was undocked from the station on Sunday to commence testing of the new autopilot.

The problem, however, is the system failed to activate properly during the first try at redocking Monday night. There is no guarantee it will start up successfully today, either.

Russian engineers believe a fault in that new equipment could prevent the test from being carried out using the avionics box installed in this particular cargo ship.

Progress M-15M was launched in April and used the current-generation KURS to safely link up with the space station to deliver its load of goods and fuel. The Russians are taking advantage of the vehicle for this test before being discarded to burn up in the atmosphere to complete its mission in August.

But if the vessel cannot redock using the new KURS-NA today, the alternate methods for bringing it into the station won't be necessary because the freighter has completed its usefulness at the outpost. Instead, plans will move forward to deorbit the spacecraft as intended.

It has been flying a safe distance away from the station since Monday night's troubles. Another opportunity to redock has waited until today so that the Japanese HTV 3 could complete its arrival to the outpost Friday morning.

If the new autopilot fires up and checks out correctly, the automated rendezvous sequence begins at 6:36 p.m. EDT to control the activities for the evening.

The day's first key engine firing is planned for 6:56 p.m. and another impulse is expected around 7:18 p.m. EDT. In between, the passive-side of the KURS rendezvous equipment in the space station's Zvezda service module will be activated at 6:59 p.m. Another burn comes up at 7:42 p.m.

The next key milestone occurs at 7:54 p.m. when the two spacecraft close to within 28 miles of each other. That is the point when Monday night's self-test of the KURS-NA failed and the Progress initiated an automatic abort of the rendezvous.

If things continue to go well tonight, the intercept will proceed as normal leading to Progress executing a flyaround of the space station at 8:37 p.m. to align with the Pirs docking compartment's port.

After a stationkeeping hold by the freighter to ensure all is in readiness for docking, the spacecraft will commence final approach at 8:50 p.m. for docking about 10 minutes later at 9:00 p.m. EDT, mid-way through an orbital daylight pass.

Original plans called for the crew to leave the Progress sealed up, the trash and disposal items already packed inside for a final undocking and jettison from the station this coming Monday. But in light of the troubles with that avionics box inside, Russian officials have decided to have the crew open the hatchway and retrieve that device for eventual return to Earth and analysis on the ground, assuming the redocking can be performed today.

That extra retrieval work has delayed Monday's undocking by two orbits, now targeted to occur around 5:16 p.m. EDT. We will have live streaming video of that event as well.

Live video coverage of Saturday's redocking attempt will begin at 5 p.m. EDT.

Trouble within an avionics box aboard the Progress may be to blame for the aborted rendezvous Monday night, and a repeat again on Saturday would likely prompt Russian flight controllers to call off any further attempts to bring the ship in for the engineering demonstration of an advanced autopilot system.

The Progress M-15M redocking test of its upgraded autopilot has been delayed until at least Saturday to deconflict with Friday's arrival of the Japanese HTV 3 freighter at the International Space Station.

Two orbits after the abort last night, Russian flight controllers commanded the automated rendezvous system to re-activate for the collection of data. Analysis of that telemetry is underway to gain further insight into KURS-NA and why it failed a self-test that aborted the redocking last night.

Mission Control also uplinked a program to perform a series of maneuvers tonight that will slow down the spacecraft's phasing away from the station.

If the Progress is never able to redock, it already had delivered three tons of supplies to the station and the crew had loaded the vessel with trash for disposal.

Tonight's rendezvous and redocking of the Progress cargo ship to the International Space Station to demonstrate a new autopilot system has been aborted after equipment aboard the freighter failed a self-test.

The issue occurred at 8:23 p.m. EDT (0123 GMT) while the KURS-NA was being activated, putting the vehicle into a passive abort mode as designed under safety protocols. The abort happened when the two spacecraft were 9.3 miles apart, and the Progress entered a "return trajectory" to prepare for another try at rendezvous once the problem is resolved.

The spacecraft will pass harmlessly by the outpost after canceling the planned intercept, Mission Control says. Its closest distance should be two miles below the station.

Russian engineers are assessing its options to troubleshoot the problem and reattempt the docking in the days to come. Another rendezvous attempt could occur as early as Tuesday, otherwise a longer wait would be required to allow the Japanese HTV 3 vehicle to arrive at the station on Friday.

The Progress is carrying only trash and discarded items at this time. After testing the autonomous rendezvous system, it was scheduled for jettison from the station for good on July 30 to eventually make a destructive re-entry into the atmosphere.

Known as Progress M-15M, the vessel was launched April 20 and docked to the station's Pirs compartment two days later to deliver three tons of food, fuel and supplies for the orbiting complex. It undocked from the station Sunday afternoon to initiate this test.

The redocking, whenever it occurs, will enable controllers to check out the so-called Kurs-NA system for future use by visiting Russian spacecraft. The advanced hardware will use a single antenna mounted on upcoming spacecraft, allowing four others to be removed. Kurs-NA also will use less power and incorporate updated electronics.

The system is planned on downstream Soyuz crew transports and Progress freighters.

We will have live coverage of the Progress M-15M redocking Monday night starting at 9 p.m. EDT.

The undocking occurred 255 miles over eastern Mongolia.

UNDOCKING. The Russian Progress M-15M vehicle just left the International Space Station, setting the stage for tomorrow's redocking to test an advanced autopilot rendezvous system.

The craft will retreat about 100 miles away from the space station before initiating the approach back at 7:38 p.m. EDT tomorrow evening. The Kurs-NA system gets activated at 8:09 p.m. An hour later, the autopilot equipment on both the Progress and Zvezda service module will test the link between each other at a distance of 9.3 miles.

After a series of breaking maneuvers to slow the approach, the freighter will perform a flyaround maneuver of the station at 9:38 p.m. and then perform a brief stationkeeping hold to verify all systems are go for final approach starting at 9:47 for docking 10 minutes later at 9:57 p.m. EDT.

The undocking command has been issued. Hooks and latches holding the Progress and the station's Pirs module tightly together are being opened now.

An engineering test on the Russian autopilot system for visiting spacecraft at the International Space Station will be conducted using one of the Progress resupply ships today and tomorrow.

The Progress M-15M vehicle will undock from the station's Pirs compartment around 4:27 p.m. EDT this afternoon, backing away from the complex for a 29-hour freeflight before redocking Monday night at 9:57 p.m. EDT.

The redocking will allow controllers to check out a new automated rendezvous system, known as Kurs-NA. The advanced hardware will use a single antenna mounted on future spacecraft, allowing four others to be removed. Kurs-NA also will use less power, improve safety and possess updated electronics.

The system will be used on future Progress freighters and Soyuz crew transports. Monday's experiment will test control elements recently installed in the Zvezda service module.

The ship being used in this test arrived at the station in April. After being emptied of its cargo, the crew filled the vessel with trash for disposal. Following Monday's redocking, it will remain anchored on Pirs through July 30 before being undocked for good.

In the meantime, the Japanese Kounotori 3 spacecraft, loaded with supplies and science to the International Space Station, will arrive at the outpost next Friday, July 27 for capture by the Canadarm2 robotic arm. It was launched from the Tanegashima Space Center this past Friday night.

Welcome aboard! The newest residents have floated into the International Space Station from their Soyuz capsule for the formal ceremony. Also participating via a live communications linkup are the VIPs gathered on the balcony in Russia's mission control center outside Moscow.

The hatchway between the Soyuz spacecraft and the station was opened at 3:23 a.m. EDT.

The outpost's Expedition 32 crew is comprised of three Russians and two Americans and a Japanese astronaut. The outpost is back to the full 6-person-strong operating team.

The docking probe on the front of Soyuz has retracted, allowing the hooks and latches to close and form a seal between the capsule and station. Pressure and leak checks will be performed over the next orbit before the hatchway is opened for the crew to enter into the station at 3:25 a.m. EDT (0725 GMT).

The docking occurred as the space station flew over Kazakhstan at an altitude of 252 miles.

Over the next few minutes, the Soyuz docking probe will retract to allow hooks and latches to bring the spacecraft to a firm seal with the station. Hatches between the two vehicles will be opened around 3:25 a.m. EDT.

DOCKING! The Soyuz TMA-05M spacecraft has docked to the Rassvet module of the space station, delivering NASA's Suni Williams, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to the international outpost for their four-month mission.

The new Expedition 32 residents join commander Gennady Padalka and cosmonaut Sergei Revin of Russia and NASA's Joe Acaba.

The capsule remains on course and lined up for docking. A steady, stable approach using Soyuz's automated rendezvous system continues.

Now inside 35 feet and closing.

About 65 feet left to go.

Range down to 95 feet, closing at 0.29 miles per hour.

Just over 100 feet to go. Everything is looking aligned and in good shape.

The range between Soyuz and station is about 185 feet, closing 0.44 mph.

Now 285 feet, closing at 1.02 miles per hour.

Now 330 feet to docking, closing at 1.2 mph.

The final approach to docking is underway, closing the final 575 feet.

The Russian flight control team has given approval for the final approach to commence.

Soyuz is holding 620 feet away.

The Soyuz completed the flyaround to align with the docking port. It's now in the stationkeeping hold about while controllers verify all is in readiness for final approach.

The capsule is completing a roll maneuver as part of the sequence to orient itself and solar wings for docking.

Distance now 675 feet.

Range to docking inside 750 feet.

Closing at 1.0 miles per hour now.

Inside 900 feet.

Just 1,000 feet separate the two craft now.

Soyuz is flying itself around the international outpost to get into the approach corridor leading to the Rassvet module's docking port.

The capsule is within 1,279 feet of the outpost now, the closure rate down to 2.5 miles per hour.

Now 1,768 feet, closing at 2.8 miles per hour.

Closure rate has decreased to 7 miles per hour.

The Soyuz is less than 4,300 feet from the station, closing at 10.2 miles per hour.

Having completed breaking maneuvers, the range is 6,500 feet, closing at 11 miles per hour.

The Soyuz is 1.9 miles from the station, closing at 23.7 miles per hour.

The Soyuz spacecraft with NASA's Suni Williams, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is nearing the space station for docking a little more than a half-hour from now at 12:52 a.m. EDT. You can watch live NASA Television coverage right here on this page.

The Soyuz spacecraft carrying three new residents for the International Space Station continues on its course to intercept the orbiting complex for docking just after midnight EDT tonight.

Soyuz TMA-04M was launched Saturday at 10:40:03 p.m. EDT, the precise moment when the Earth's rotation brought the Baikonur pad into alignment with the International Space Station's orbital plane, riding its three-stage booster into a preliminary orbit of 153 by 125 miles, tilted 51.6 degrees to the equator.

The automated rendezvous sequence aboard the Russian-built crew transport capsule begins tonight at 10:29 p.m. EDT to control the activities via autopilot.

The day's first key engine firing is planned for 10:51 p.m. and another impulse is expected around 11:12 p.m. EDT, followed within minutes by activation of the Kurs rendezvous equipment on both the Soyuz and space station to guide the linkup. Another burn comes up at 11:38 p.m.

The two spacecraft should be within 60 miles of each other by 11:39 p.m., closing to less than 10 miles by 12:01 a.m.

The television camera on the nose of Soyuz will be turned on at 12:08 a.m. to provide views of the docking.

A series of maneuvers between 12:18 and 12:25 a.m. will dramatically slow the Soyuz's closure rate, ultimately leading to the spacecraft beginning a flyaround of the space station at 12:28 a.m. to align with the Rassvet module's docking port.

After a stationkeeping hold by the Soyuz to ensure all is in readiness for docking, the spacecraft will commence final approach at 12:40 a.m. for docking about 12 minutes later. Soyuz commander Yuri Malenchenko will be standing by to take over manual flying of the spacecraft if required.

The linkup should occur at 12:52 a.m. EDT, mid-way through an orbital daylight pass.

The hatch opening and welcoming ceremony aboard the station is expected around 3:25 a.m. EDT.

Watch this page for live updates and streaming video starting at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 GMT).

A Soyuz spacecraft carrying a Russian commander, a NASA flight engineer and a Japanese astronaut -- all veteran space travelers -- blasted off and streaked into orbit late Saturday (U.S. time), the first leg of a two-day flight to the International Space Station.

Read our launch story.

Following a flawless climb to orbit with no issues or problems reported, the crew has been given clearance to open helmet visors and loosen their seat belts.

"The crew is feeling great," the Soyuz crewmates just radioed to Russian mission control.

The exact liftoff time tonight was 10:40:03.91 p.m. EDT

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NASA's Suni Williams, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency have arrived in orbit following launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-05M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Activities upcoming over the next few hours include opening the hatchway into the capsule's living compartment where the crew can remove their spacesuits, pressurization of the Soyuz propellant tanks and two orbit adjustment maneuvers. The trio of crewmates should begin their sleep period around 6 a.m. EDT.

That pair of maneuvers overnight will be followed by another one early Monday to put Soyuz on the proper trajectory for Monday's late-night rendezvous and docking with the space station.

The craft is completing a programmed sequence to deploy the power-generating solar arrays, as well as antennas for navigational and communication systems.

T+plus 9 minutes. CAPSULE SEPARATION! The Soyuz spacecraft is flying free after the upper stage finished its engine firing and then separated away. The capsule is in pursuit of the International Space Station for a planned docking around 12:52 a.m. EDT on Tuesday.

T+plus 8 minutes, 45 seconds. Control paramaters still remain in good shape.

T+plus 8 minutes. About a minute remains in the propulsion by the upper stage. The motor consumes kerosene and liquid oxygen just like the Soyuz rocket's other powerplants.

T+plus 7 minutes. The four-nozzle engine of the upper stage continues to burn to inject the spacecraft into orbit.

T+plus 6 minutes, 45 seconds. Everything is normal aboard the spacecraft, the crew reports as the Soyuz rockets toward space.

T+plus 6 minutes. Soyuz's upper stage is firing to propel the spacecraft into a stable orbital perch around Earth on the two-day trek to catch the International Space Station.

T+plus 5 minutes. The core stage of the Soyuz rocket has shut down and separated, leaving the upper stage to complete the job of injecting the Soyuz capsule into orbit.

T+plus 4 minutes. The core motor continues to fire on its propellant mixture of kerosene fuel and supercold liquid oxygen.

T+plus 3 minutes. The safety escape tower and launch shroud have been jettisoned from the atop the Soyuz capsule.

T+plus 2 minutes, 10 seconds. The four strap-on boosters clustered around the Soyuz rocket's main stage have burned out and separated. The core motor continues to fire.

T+plus 60 seconds. Good performance one minute into this ascent for the Soyuz rocket and its three-person crew from the Kazakh launch base. Flight engineer Suni Williams is strapped into the left-hand seat, Yuri Malenchenko is in the center seat for his role as the Soyuz commander and astronaut Aki Hoshide is riding in the right-hand seat.

T+plus 30 seconds. The Soyuz is heading on course for a rendezvous with the space station almost 50 hours from now.

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Soyuz rocket and Expedition 32 in pursuit of the International Space Station!

T-minus 30 seconds. The first umbilical arm has separated from Soyuz. The second will retract in the next few seconds.

T-minus 1 minute and counting. The Soyuz has been placed on internal power.

T-minus 2 minutes and counting. Rocket propellant tank pressurization is underway. The vehicle's onboard measurement system is activated. Oxidizer and fuel drain and safety valves of the launch vehicle have been closed.

T-minus 3 minutes and counting. The nitrogen purge of the combustion chambers of side and central engine pods of the rocket is being performed in preparation for ignition.

T-minus 4 minutes. The launch key has been inserted in the bunker for liftoff.

T-minus 5 minutes and counting. Soyuz has switched to onboard control, the ground measurement system and the capsule commander's controls are being activated.

T-minus 5 minutes, 30 seconds. The crew reports everything is in order aboard the spacecraft for launch.

T-minus 6 minutes. The automatic program for final launch operations is being initiated.

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T-minus 9 minutes and counting. The crew has closed its helmet visors.

T-minus 10 minutes. The crew inside the Soyuz capsule are starting recorders to collect data during launch.

T-minus 14 minutes and counting. The Soyuz telemetry systems are being activated. They will relay real-time data back to Earth during today's launch.

T-minus 17 minutes. Now in the launch count, realignment of the Soyuz rocket's trajectory control system and checks of internal batteries should be complete. The Soyuz telemetry system will soon be activated and monitoring of Soyuz's thermal control system also will begin.

T-minus 19 minutes and counting. The three-stage Soyuz rocket will insert the 15,700-pound space capsule into a 143 by 118 mile orbit, inclined 51.6 degrees to the equator, according to NASA.

The emergency escape system is being armed. The system would be employed if a major malfunction occurs, propelling the Soyuz capsule off the top of the rocket to safety.

T-minus 24 minutes. The crew is completing leak checks of the Sokol launch spacesuits at this point in the countdown.

T-minus 30 minutes and counting. The emergency escape system is being armed. The system would be employed if a major malfunction occurs, propelling the Soyuz capsule off the top of the rocket to safety.

Retraction of the two-piece service structure that has enclosed the Soyuz rocket during its stay at the launch pad is underway as the towers rotate to a horizontal position. Several other umbilical arms connecting the rocket to the ground will be retracted at various times later in the countdown.

T-minus 60 minutes and counting. Suni Williams, Yuri Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide were awakened about eight hours ago to begin launch day activities. They signed the doors at crew quarters and received religious blessings before boarding a bus that took the three crewmates the 25-mile distance into the cosmodrome. They donned their white Sokol launch and entry suits, met with officials from their respective space agencies and then headed for the pad. Crowds of well-wishers gathered to wave goodbye as the crew reached the rocket. An elevator took the trio up to the capsule-level of the tower to begin climbing aboard the cramped spacecraft.

T-minus 2 hours. The Soyuz rocket is fueled, the crew has traveled to the launch pad and the countdown is progressing toward liftoff of the space station's Expedition 32 crew from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 10:40 p.m. EDT.

In the early morning light, the crew has arrived the Baikonur launch pad to begin boarding the capsule and taking their assigned seats for blastoff a little over two-and-a-half hours from now.

Engineers are making final preparations for launch of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft this weekend to ferry an all-veteran U.S.-Russian-Japanese crew to the International Space Station to boost the lab's crew complement back to six. The launch will kick off a "fantastically busy" timeline, with nine space station "visiting vehicle" operations and two spacewalks over the next six weeks.

Read our preview story.

A booster rocket topped with the next Soyuz crew transporter bound for the International Space Station was rolled by rail to the launch pad today for a Saturday night blastoff carrying NASA, Russian and Japanese crewmates.

Liftoff of the three-man crew from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is scheduled for 10:40 p.m. EDT (0240 GMT Sunday) from the same pad used to send the first human into space a half-century ago.

NASA's Suni Williams, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency are headed to the orbiting outpost for a 12--day mission as part of the Expeditions 32 and 33.

They'll join the trio already living up there -- commander Gennady Padalka and cosmonaut Sergei Revin of Russia and NASA's Joe Acaba.

Utilizing the space laboratory, receiving multiple resupply vehicles and conducting a pair of spacewalks are the main goal of the mission.

The Soyuz rocket and its TMA-05M capsule, mounted horizontally on a railcar, journeyed along a winding route from the integration facility at Site 254 to the same historic pad used by Yuri Gagarin.

Hydraulic pistons lifted the rocket upright on the pad and gantry swing arms moved into position to enclose the vehicle. Technicians on four levels hooked up electrical and telemetry cables between the rocket and pad.

Following liftoff of the three-stage, liquid-fueled booster, the capsule will be inserted into a preliminary orbit within nine minutes. But it will take two days for the Soyuz spacecraft to the reach station. Docking is scheduled for Tuesday around 12:52 a.m. EDT (0452 GMT).

Here is an overview the key events in the Soyuz's launch countdown, as provided by NASA:

• T- 6:00:00 Batteries are installed in the booster
  
  
• T- 5:30:00 State commission gives "go" to take launch vehicle
  
  
• T- 5:15:00 Crew arrives at site 254
  
  
• T- 5:00:00 Tanking begins
  
  
• T- 4:20:00 Spacesuit donning
  
  
• T- 4:00:00 Booster is loaded with liquid oxygen
  
  
• T- 3:40:00 Crew meets delegations
  
  
• T- 3:10:00 Reports to the State commission
  
  
• T- 3:05:00 Transfer to the launch pad
  
  
• T- 3:00:00 Vehicle first and second stage oxidizer fueling complete
  
  
• T- 2:35:00 Crew arrives at launch vehicle
  
  
• T- 2:30:00 Crew ingress through orbital module side hatch
  
  
• T- 2:00:00 Crew in re-entry vehicle
  
  
• T- 1:45:00 Re-entry vehicle hardware tested; suits are ventilated
  
  
• T- 1:30:00 Launch command monitoring and supply unit prepared;
  -- Orbital compartment hatch tested for sealing
  
  
• T- 1:00:00 Launch vehicle control system prepared for use; gyro instruments activated
  
  
• T- :45:00 Launch pad service structure halves are lowered
  
  
• T- :40:00 Re-entry vehicle hardware testing complete; leak checks performed on suits
  
  
• T- :30:00 Emergency escape system armed; launch command supply unit activated
  
  
• T- :25:00 Service towers withdrawn
  
  
• T- :15:00 Suit leak tests complete; crew engages personal escape hardware auto mode
  
  
• T- :10:00 Launch gyro instruments uncaged; crew activates on-board recorders
  
  
• T- 7:00 All prelaunch operations are complete
  
  
• T- 6:15 Key to launch command given at the launch site;
  -- Automatic program of final launch operations is activated
  
  
• T- 6:00 All launch complex and vehicle systems ready for launch
  
  
• T- 5:00 Onboard systems switched to onboard control;
  -- Ground measurement system activated by RUN 1 command;
  -- Commander's controls activated;
  -- Crew switches to suit air by closing helmets;
  -- Launch key inserted in launch bunker
  
  
• T- 3:15 Combustion chambers of side and central engine pods purged with nitrogen
  
  
• T- 2:30 Booster propellant tank pressurization starts;
  -- Onboard measurement system activated by RUN 2 command;
  -- Prelaunch pressurization of all tanks with nitrogen begins
  
  
• T- 2:15 Oxidizer and fuel drain and safety valves of launch vehicle are closed;
  -- Ground filling of oxidizer and nitrogen to the launch vehicle is terminated
  
  
• T- 1:00 Vehicle on internal power;
  -- Automatic sequencer on;
  -- First umbilical tower separates from booster
  
  
• T- :40 Ground power supply umbilical to third stage is disconnected
  
  
• T- :20 Launch command given at the launch position;
  -- Central and side pod engines are turned on
  
  
• T- :15 Second umbilical tower separates from booster
  
  
• T- :10 Engine turbopumps at flight speed
  
  
• T- :05 First stage engines at maximum thrust
  
  
• T- :00 Fueling tower separates;
  -- Lift off

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