US, Russian astronauts launch into orbit for joint space mission

The joint US-Russian space mission lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on July 14, 2026, aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft, carrying Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina along with NASA astronaut Anil Menon. The crew entered orbit and is scheduled to dock at the International Space Station for an eight-month stay. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman attended the launch, his first visit to Baikonur in eight years, and met with Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov. The mission highlights continued cooperation between the US and Russia despite tensions over the Ukraine war.