Soyuz Spacecraft with US Astronaut, Two Russian Cosmonauts Docks at ISS

The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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Soyuz Spacecraft with US Astronaut, Two Russian Cosmonauts Docks at ISS

The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft carrying the crew formed of NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A Russian spacecraft blasted off from Kazakhstan's Baikonur cosmodrome on Friday carrying two Russian cosmonauts and a US astronaut to join the crew of the International Space Station (ISS), live TV images showed.

At 1853 GMT the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft with American Loral O'Hara and Russians Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub on board docked at the ISS, Russia's Roscosmos space agency said.

They will join the current crew of NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Frank Rubio, Russian cosmonauts Dmitry Petelin, Konstantin Borisov and Sergei Prokopyev, as well as Denmark's Andreas Mogensen and Japan's Satoshi Furukawa.

O'Hara and Chub are on their first spaceflight, while Kononenko is on his fifth, Reuters reported.

Russia's space program suffered a major setback last month when its Luna-25 spacecraft crashed during an attempt to land near the south pole of the moon in the country's first lunar mission in 47 years.

The ISS is one of the few international projects on which the United States and Russia still cooperate closely.



26 Endangered Animals Find New Home in Saudi Arabia’s Soudah

The initiative aims to boost the region's biodiversity and tourism as part of a broader program to reintroduce wildlife and restore ecosystems in Saudi Arabia. SPA
The initiative aims to boost the region's biodiversity and tourism as part of a broader program to reintroduce wildlife and restore ecosystems in Saudi Arabia. SPA
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26 Endangered Animals Find New Home in Saudi Arabia’s Soudah

The initiative aims to boost the region's biodiversity and tourism as part of a broader program to reintroduce wildlife and restore ecosystems in Saudi Arabia. SPA
The initiative aims to boost the region's biodiversity and tourism as part of a broader program to reintroduce wildlife and restore ecosystems in Saudi Arabia. SPA

The National Center for Wildlife (NCW) and Soudah Development released 26 endangered animals into their natural habitat in the Soudah region.

This initiative aims to boost the region's biodiversity and tourism as part of a broader program to reintroduce wildlife and restore ecosystems in Saudi Arabia.

NCW’s CEO Dr. Mohammad Qurban explained that the release follows biodiversity studies in national parks to assess the impact of such efforts. The center monitors wildlife in protected areas using technology to track populations and understand the challenges they face.

Soudah Development has announced environmental initiatives to enrich biodiversity and attract 2 million annual visitors by 2030.