megazal:

Expedition 36 Soyuz (201305250007HQ) (via NASA HQ PHOTO)

Soyuz on the radar!

Soyuz TMA-09M was rolled out to the launchpad yesterday. It launches tomorrow with its crew of Fyodor Yurchikhin, Karen Nyberg and Luca Parmitano.

(GCTC)

An update on Soyuz TMA-09M. The crew of Fyodor Yurchikhin, Karen Nyberg and Luca Parmitano arrived at Baikonur and have been through their first and second fit checks in the Soyuz. The press was also allowed in for a day and watched the crew exercise, relax and plant their traditional trees. They launch on May 28.

(Source: 1, 2 & 3)

The launch of Soyuz TMA-08M. According to tradition, the crew sign their room doors and are blessed by a Russian Orthodox priest. The crew then put on their sokol suits, have them checked for leaks and head out to the launch pad. After launch, the crew made the first expedited docking after only six hours, instead of two days.

(Source: GCTC)

Soyuz TMA-08M launches today! The rocket is scheduled to take off at 4:43 pm ET (1:43 pm PT). This is the first manned Soyuz that will have a quick rendezvous to the International Space Station. Instead of taking two days to reach the ISS, it will only take six hours after launch. The docking is scheduled at 10:32 pm ET (7:32 pm PT) with hatch opening at 12:10 a.m. ET March 29 (9:10 pm PT March 28)

You can watch here.

Soyuz TMA-08M and its rocket were rolled out to the launch pad at Baikonur yesterday. It launches tomorrow.

(Source: GCTC & Energia)

Two days ago the press was let into quarantine at Baikonur and filmed the Soyuz TMA-08M crew training and relaxing.  The crew also planted their traditional trees, planted ever since the flight of Yuri Gagarin.

(Source)

The Soyuz TMA-08M crew, Pavel Vinogradov, Aleksandr Misurkin and Christopher Cassidy, flew to the Baikonur Cosmodrome for launch preparations. Yesterday they got their first view of their soyuz and had the first leak check in their sokol suits. They launch on 28 March.

(Source: 1, 2 & 3)

Progress M-18M launched today from Baikonur. Besides taking 2.6 tons of supplies to the ISS, the spacecraft is testing a fast docking method that will eventually be implemented for the manned Soyuz. Instead of taking 2 days to reach the ISS, the craft will be able to dock to the station in six hours.

(Source)

Salizhan Sharipov before climbing aboard Soyuz TMA-5. (2004)

(Source)

Progress M-18M was rolled out to the launch pad today. It will launch on Feb. 11 to bring supplies to the ISS.

(Source)

colchrishadfield:

A pre-launch photo of the crew. Morale is important - laughing together is essential to real success.

The launch of Soyuz TMA-07M. The crew wore thermal suits over the sokol suits to protect themselves from the cold. Yuri Romanenko was there to watch his son Roman launch.

(Source)

Soyuz TMA-07M was rolled out to the launch pad at Baikonur yesterday. It launches with Roman Romanenko, Chris Hadfield, and Thomas Marshburn tomorrow.

(Source: 1 & 2)

It was press day yesterday for the crew of Soyuz TMA-07M. The media is invited into quarantine and films them exercising, relaxing and getting ready for the flight.

(Source)