Video: Soyuz MS-01 leaves the space station for landing

Engineers readied a Russian Soyuz rocket for launch Wednesday to ferry a veteran cosmonaut and two NASA shuttle fliers to the International Space Station for a five-month stay.

Continuing a busy week of comings and goings at the International Space Station, a Russian Progress supply ship is set for liftoff at 0709 GMT (3:09 a.m. EDT) Wednesday from Kazakhstan with nearly 5,200 pounds of food, fuel and supplies for the six-person crew on the International Space Station.

Air Force meteorologists on this Good Friday have released their initial forecast for Tuesday’s launch of a cargo ship to the International Space Station, predicting favorable conditions to fly the Atlas 5 booster on a commercial mission.