SHOTLIST: 1. ASTRONAUTS GETTING OFF BUS 2. WALKING AWAY 3. ASTRONAUTS GETTING ABOARD SPACECRAFT 4. VARIOUS OF ASTRONAUTS ABOARD SPACECRAFT 5. VARIOUS OF SOYUZ-2.1a CARRYING SOYUZ MS-27 CREWED SPACECRAFT BEING LAUNCHED FROM BAIKONUR COSMODROME 6. VARIOUS OF SOYUZ-2.1a RISING IN SKY 7. VARIOUS OF SOYUZ-2.1a IN ORBIT BAIKONUR, KAZAKHSTAN (APRIL 8, 2025) (MANDATORY CREDIT - ‘ROSCOSMOS TV’ HANDOUT - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO — EDITORIAL USE ONLY) The Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle carrying the Soyuz MS-27 crewed spacecraft, along with three crew members for the 73rd long-term expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), successfully lifted off from launch pad 31 ("Vostok") at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Tuesday, Apr. 8, according to the TASS news agency. The spacecraft separated from the third stage of the launch vehicle as planned, confirming the successful execution of the launch. The flight to the ISS will follow a two-orbit rendezvous plan, with the spacecraft expected to dock with the "Prichal" module of the Russian segment of the station at approximately 12:04 MSK (Moscow Standard Time). The crew of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft includes Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Zubritsky, Sergey Ryzhikov and NASA astronaut Johnny Kim. During the mission, 50 scientific experiments will be conducted by the crew. In addition, Ryzhikov and Zubritsky are scheduled to carry out two spacewalks in October. The launch is notably timed to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, with commemorative images dedicated to the historic event displayed on the rocket. The launch vehicle has been named "Victory Rocket" in honor of the anniversary. Russia’s Roscosmos State Space Corporation stated earlier that a record number of tourists – over 2,500 people – traveled to Baikonur to witness the launch, including actors, TV presenters, bloggers, and high-level business executives.