Welcome aboard! The newest residents are floating 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 outpost's expanded Expedition 26 crew is comprised of three Russians, two Americans and an Italian.

The hatchway between the Soyuz spacecraft and the station was opened at 6:02 p.m. EST following the successful completion of leak checks. The welcoming ceremony is expected to begin shortly when a live television downlink communications session starts.

Mission Control says the final phase of leak checks is underway after a successful docking of the Soyuz spacecraft to the space station. Hatch opening is anticipated shortly. Watch live in our video stream.

Live streaming video coverage will resume at 5:30 p.m. EST with the hatch opening and welcoming ceremony.

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 later today.

The docking occurred as the space station flew over western Africa at an altitude of 224 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 6 p.m. EST.

DOCKING. The Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft has docked to the Rassvet module of the space station, delivering NASA's Cady Coleman, Russian Dmitry Kondratyev and Italian Paolo Nespoli to the international outpost.

The new Expedition 26 residents join commander Scott Kelly, Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka. They have been aboard the station since October 9.

Range to docking inside 10 feet.

The capsule is aligning with the docking target on the station inside the last 35 feet.

Now 60 feet and closing. The capsule remains on course for docking.

Soyuz has closed to within 100 feet from the station.

The headlight on Soyuz has been turned on for this docking near orbital nighttime.

The Soyuz and station are nearing an orbital sunset.

The International Space Station will be this crew's orbital home for 150 days.

Closing speed is throttling back as expect. Now 200 feet left to go.

Now less than 250 feet to docking.

The range between Soyuz and station is about 385 feet.

With approval granted by the Russian flight control team, the Soyuz capsule has commenced final approach toward docking.

About three minutes left in the planned stationkeeping. The capsule has drifted inward to about 490 feet.

The Soyuz completed the flyaround to align with the docking port. It's now in the stationkeeping hold about 545 feet away while controllers verify all is in readiness for final approach.

The capsule is completing a roll maneuver as part of the sequence to prepare for docking. Soyuz is about 670 feet away from the station now.

A black and white video camera on the Soyuz is providing great footage of the space station during this maneuver. The distance has been cut to 700 feet.

About 820 feet separate the two spacecraft as the Soyuz continues its intercept.

Soyuz is within 1,200 feet of the station as the flyaround continues.

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

Soyuz is completed braking maneuvers to dramatically slow its approach rate.

Distance now three miles.

The rendezvous sequence is progressing as planned this afternoon, Mission Control reports.

The Soyuz is 4.7 miles from the space station, closing at 26 miles per hour.

The Soyuz spacecraft is nearing the space station for docking about 42 minutes from now at 3:12 p.m. EST. You can watch live NASA Television coverage on this page.

The Soyuz spacecraft carrying three new residents for the space station is scheduled for docking Friday at 3:12 p.m. EST (2012 GMT).

The automated rendezvous sequence aboard the Russian-built crew transport capsule will begin about 12:49 p.m. EST to control the activities via autopilot.

The day's first key engine firing is planned for 1:09 p.m. and another impulse is expected around 1:28 p.m. EST, 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 2 p.m., closing to less than 10 miles by 2:22 p.m.

The television camera on the nose of Soyuz will be turned on at 2:29 p.m. to provide views of the docking.

A series of maneuvers between 2:35 and 2:43 p.m. will dramatically slow the Soyuz's closure rate, ultimately leading to the spacecraft beginning a flyaround of the space station 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 3:03 p.m. for docking about 9 minutes later. Soyuz commander Dmitry Kondratyev will be standing by to take over manual flying of the spacecraft if required.

The linkup should occur at 3:12 p.m. EST, shortly before an orbital sunset and two days, 63 minutes after liftoff.

The hatch opening and welcoming ceremony aboard the station is expected around 6 p.m. EST.

A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying three crew members bound for the International Space Station blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Wednesday, kicking off a two-day flight to catch up and dock with the orbital lab complex.

Read our full story.

Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FULL EXPERIENCE FROM LIFTOFF TO ORBIT PLAY
VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS SITE 254 FOR LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: VIPS MEET THE CREW ON LAUNCH MORNING PLAY
VIDEO: CREW MEMBERS DON THEIR SOKOL SPACESUITS PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH MORNING TRADITIONS AT CREW QUARTERS PLAY
MORE: EXPEDITION 26 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

T+plus 21 minutes. Soyuz is passing out of range from Russian ground stations. All indications show today's launch was fully successful with no problems reported by the crew or flight controllers.

T+plus 17 minutes. The crew has been given permission from Mission Control-Moscow to open its helmet visors and loosen the shoulder restraints.

T+plus 15 minutes. The crew is marching through the post-insertion orbital checklist.

T+plus 13 minutes. Coleman, Kondratyev and Nespoli have arrived in orbit following launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-20 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.

That pair of maneuvers later today will be followed by another one Thursday to put Soyuz on the proper trajectory for Friday's rendezvous and docking with the space station.

T+plus 10 minutes. 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 Friday around 3:12 p.m. EST.

T+plus 8 minutes, 30 seconds. The crew reports all remains normal aboard the spacecraft.

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, 30 seconds. The space station's current residents -- Scott Kelly, Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka -- are watching a live stream of the launch being uplinked to the outpost.

T+plus 6 minutes. Soyuz's upper stage is firing to propel the spacecraft into a stable orbit around Earth.

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, 15 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 Paolo Nespoli is strapped into the left-hand seat, Dmitry Kondratyev is in the center seat for his role as the Soyuz commander and NASA astronaut Cady Coleman is in the right-hand seat.

T+plus 30 seconds. The Soyuz is heading on course for a rendezvous with the space station 49 hours from now. The station currently is flying about 225 miles above the southern Atlantic Ocean.

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Soyuz rocket carrying a crew from three countries to the International Space Station!

T-minus 35 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. Systems of the Soyuz have switched to onboard control, the ground measurement system and the Soyuz commander's controls are being activated.

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

T-minus 8 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 12 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. Recent activities scheduled in the countdown have included a leak check of the crew's Sokol spacesuits and arming of the Soyuz emergency escape system that would pull the capsule to safety if a problem develops.

T-minus 30 minutes. Retraction of the two-piece service structure that has enclosed the Soyuz rocket during its stay at the launch pad is occurring 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 40 minutes and counting. The three-stage Soyuz rocket will insert the 15,800-pound space capsule into a 143 by 118 mile orbit, inclined 51.6 degrees to the equator.

T-minus 45 minutes. The launch weather outlook at Baikonur includes overcast skies and sub-freezing temperatures. The earlier forecast of snow hasn't materialized.

Flight engineer Cady Coleman, 50, was born in Charleston, South Carolina. The retired Air Force colonel is a chemist with a polymer science doctorate from the University of Massachusetts.

Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1992, she flew as a mission specialist on two space shuttle flights aboard Columbia in 1995 and 1999. The first trip, STS-73, carried the U.S. Microgravity Laboratory to conduct dozens of experiments for 16 days. The followup five-day flight, STS-93, deployed the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.

Read her full bio.

Dmitry Kondratyev, 41, is commander of the Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft and will become commander of the Expedition 27 mission aboard the International Space Station in the spring.

Born in Irkutsk, Kondratyev graduated as a pilot-engineer from Kachinsk Air Force Pilot School and later attended the Moscow State University where he was educated as an economist. Joining the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center as a candidate, he completed basic study in 2000 and was qualified as a cosmonaut. This will be the Russian air force colonel's first spaceflight.

Read his full bio.

Flight engineer Paolo Nespoli, 53, is a native of Milan, Italy. He is making his second trip to the International Space Station for the European Space Agency following the STS-120 mission aboard the shuttle Discovery that delivered the Harmony connecting module in 2007.

Nespoli holds degrees in aerospace engineering, aeronautics and astronautics, served in the Italian army and became a master parachutist. He has been a member of Europe's astronaut corps since 1998.

Read his full bio.

T-minus 80 minutes. The Soyuz rocket is fueled, the crew is aboard the Soyuz and the countdown is progressing toward liftoff of the space station's Expedition 26 crew from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Video highlights of the Soyuz crew's launch day activities are beginning to air in the streaming video.

Crowds of well-wishers gathered to wave goodbye as the crew as Coleman, Kondratyev and Nespoli reached the launch pad. An elevator took the trio up to the capsule-level of the tower to begin climbing aboard the cramped spacecraft.

The three-person crew donned the white Sokol launch and entry suits, met with officials from their respective space agencies and have departed for the launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome.

NASA's Cady Coleman, Russian Dmitry Kondratyev and Italian Paolo Nespoli were awakened a few hours ago to begin launch day activities. They have undergo medical tests, had a pre-launch meal, signed the doors at crew quarters and received religious blessings before boarding a bus that's currently driving the three crewmates the 25-mile distance into the cosmodrome.

Watch this page for continuing updates and a live launch webcast.

And if you will be away from your computer but would like to receive occasional updates, sign up for our Twitter feed to get text message updates sent to your cellphone. U.S. readers can also sign up from their phone by texting "follow spaceflightnow" to 40404. (Standard text messaging charges apply.)

A Russian Soyuz rocket is poised for launch Wednesday on a two-day flight to ferry three fresh crew members to the International Space Station. Liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is targeted for 2:09:25 p.m. EST (GMT-5), roughly the moment Earth's rotation carries the pad into the plane of the space station's orbit.

At the controls in the Soyuz TMA-20's center seat will be commander Dmitri "Dima" Kondratyev, assisted by Paolo Nespoli, an Italian astronaut with the European Space Agency who flew aboard the space shuttle in 2007.

Seated in the capsule's right seat will be Catherine "Cady" Coleman, a mother and retired Air Force colonel who flew aboard the shuttle in 1995 and 1999 and holds a doctorate in polymer science and engineering. She celebrated her 50th birthday Tuesday.

Read our full story.

Rolling out to Gagarin's launch pad on a bitterly cold December morning, the next Soyuz rocket now stands poised for Wednesday's blastoff carrying Russian, American and Italian crewmates on their journey to the International Space Station.

The Soyuz TMA-20 capsule and its three-stage booster traveled by rail from the final assembly building to the Baikonur Cosmodrome pad at dawn today.

NASA's Cady Coleman, Russia's Dmitry Kondratyev and the European Space Agency's Paolo Nespoli will ride the rocket into orbit Wednesday, launching at 2:09 p.m. EST (1909 GMT). They are headed for a Friday arrival at the space station with docking around 3:12 p.m. EST (2012 GMT).

Read our photo gallery.