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 back at Baikonur still.

The hatchway between the Soyuz spacecraft and the station was opened at 12:14 a.m. EDT.

The outpost's Expedition 36 crew is comprised of three Russians and two Americans and a European 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 in a couple of hours.

The docking occurred as the two spacecraft flew above the Pacific, off the west coast of South Ameruca at an altitude of 250 miles, just 5 hours and 39 minutes since liftoff, completing the Soyuz's second speedy sprint from launch to docking in the International Space Station program.

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 11:55 p.m. EDT.

DOCKING! The Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft has docked to the Rassvet module of the space station, delivering Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, European Space Agency flight engineer Luca Parmitano and NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg to the international outpost for their 167-day mission.

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

Now inside 65 feet as the spacecraft pass into an orbital sunset.

Range down to 95 feet, closing at 0.31 miles per hour. Soyuz is in good alignment.

Just 130 feet to go. No reports of any issues this evening.

The docking mechanism has been powered up.

The range between Soyuz and station is about 165 feet, closing 0.5 mph.

Inside 250 feet and closing.

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

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.

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

Now just 1,800 feet between the two spacecraft, closing at 3.1 mph as the Soyuz slows its rate of approach.

The Soyuz is 4,000 feet from the station, closing at 7.3 mph.

The Soyuz spacecraft is nearing the space station for the final phase of rendezvous and docking. 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 tonight.

Soyuz TMA-09M was launched at 4:31:24 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.

Having performed four key engine burns in the first two-and-a-half-hours of flight, the automated rendezvous sequence aboard the Russian-built crew transport capsule begins at 8:06 p.m. EDT to control the activities via autopilot.

Further burns are planned for 8:12 p.m. and another impulse is expected around 8:37 p.m. EDT, followed within minutes by activation of the Kurs rendezvous equipment on both the Soyuz and space station to guide the linkup.

The two spacecraft should be within 60 miles of each other by 9:04 p.m., closing to less than 10 miles by 9:25 p.m.

The television camera on the nose of Soyuz will be turned on at 9:33 p.m. to provide views of the docking.

A series of maneuvers between 9:40 and 9:48 p.m. will dramatically slow the Soyuz's closure rate, ultimately leading to the spacecraft beginning a flyaround of the space station at 9:51 p.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 10:05 p.m. for docking about 11 minutes later. Soyuz commander Fyodor Yurchikhin will be standing by to take over manual flying of the spacecraft if required.

The linkup should occur at 10:16 p.m. EDT, just after an orbital sunset, and a mere 5 hours and 44 minutes after liftoff.

The hatch opening and welcoming ceremony aboard the station is expected around 11:55 p.m. EDT.

Watch this page for live updates and streaming video starting at 9:30 p.m. EDT (0130 GMT).

Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, European Space Agency flight engineer Luca Parmitano and NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg have arrived in orbit following a good launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

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 at 10:16 p.m. EDT tonight.

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 put 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 on the six-hour, four-orbit 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. European Space Agency flight engineer Luca Parmitano is strapped into the left-hand seat serving as co-pilot, Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin is in the center seat for his role as the Soyuz commander and NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg is riding in the right-hand seat.

T+plus 20 seconds. The Soyuz rocket has maneuvered on course for a rendezvous with the space station less than six hours from now. The station currently is flying 254 miles above the South Atlantic.

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Expedition 36 crew en route to the International Space Station for docking tonight!

T-minus 40 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 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 20 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. At liftoff, the station will be flying 256 miles above southern Russia, near the Mongolian border.

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

T-minus 27 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.

T-minus 32 minutes and counting. 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 50 minutes and counting. The International Space Station will pass over the Baikonur Cosmodrome about four minutes before liftoff. At launch, Soyuz will be 1,336 miles behind the station. At separation 9 minutes later, it'll be 2,548 miles behind. But the capsule will close the distance in less than six hours before docking tonight at 10:16 p.m. EDT.

T-minus 60 minutes and counting. Soyuz TMA-09M commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, European Space Agency flight engineer Luca Parmitano and NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg 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 61 minutes. Live streaming video coverage of today's rocket flight to orbit begins now.

T-minus 90 minutes. 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 36 crew from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 4:31 p.m. EDT.

Live launch coverage and commentary begins in the stream at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

Russian ground crews are preparing a Soyuz spacecraft for launch Tuesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to ferry three fresh crew members -- a veteran Russian cosmonaut, an Italian test pilot and an American shuttle veteran -- to the International Space Station.

Boosting the lab's staff back to six, the Expedition 36/37 crews face a busy stay in space highlighted by a full slate of scientific research, six spacewalks, the arrival of multiple cargo ships carrying critical supplies and, in early November, the Olympic torch, which will herald the 2014 Winter Games at Sochi, Russia, in February.

"I'm very much looking forward to living there," said astronaut Karen Nyberg, who visited the station during a 14-day shuttle flight in 2008. A shuttle mission is "a sprint, you're go, go, go constantly, and you don't have a lot of time to reflect on what you're doing as you're doing it.

"In fact, there's a lot of that mission that I don't really remember," Nyberg said. "I look at pictures and I'm like, 'oh yeah, we did that.' I think with a longer period of time, I'll have time to actually get it ingrained in my brain of where I am and what I'm doing, and I won't need to go back and look at those pictures to remember what it is that I've done."

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