The Soyuz launcher is erected on the launch pad

The Soyuz launcher carrying the Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft is erected at the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on 13 December 2010.

On 15 December 2010, it lofted ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli with Dmitri Kondratyev and Catherine Coleman to space for a six-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS) as members of Expeditions 26/27.

Paolo’s MagISStra mission is Europe’s third long-duration mission on the ISS. Between December 2010 and June 2011 he will be part of the ISS crew as a flight engineer.