A Soyuz spacecraft transporting seasoned NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, French newcomer Thomas Pesquet, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy launched from the Russia-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, entering orbit eight minutes after liftoff. Whitson, set to turn 57 in February during her stay aboard the ISS, has achieved the distinction of being the eldest woman to journey into space.
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