Want to watch NASA scientists aboard Soyuz rocket to Space Station? Here's how

Washington, Sep 21: Three NASA astronauts are all set to launch aboard Soyuz rocket to International Space Station at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Soyuz MS-22 crew ship is counting down to its lift-off at 9:54 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 21. The trio - Frank Rubio and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin- will dock to the Rassvet module beginning a six-month research mission in Earth orbit.

NASA will broadcast the launch live on NASA TV, the app, and its website, beginning at 9 a.m.

Following the new arrival of the new crew, three cosmonauts who have been living in space since March 18 will board their Soyuz MS-21 crew ship and return to Earth. The Soyuz vehicle, with station Commander Oleg Artemyev and Flight Engineers Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov inside, will undock from the Prichal module, descend through Earth's atmosphere, and parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan, ending the threesome's six-month-long orbital journey.

The trio on Tuesday spent packing up cargo and personal gear for stowage inside the returning Soyuz and conditioning their bodies for the return to Earth's gravity.

Meanwhile, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is all set to take over as station commander from Artemyev before he departs during the traditional Change of Command ceremony. The leadership change will air live on NASA TV, the agency's app, and its website at 9:35 a.m. on September 28.