Liftoff! Spectacular Launch Photos for Space Station Crew

Expedition 31 Blessing

An Orthodox priest blesses the Soyuz rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome Launch pad on Monday, May 14, 2012 in Kazakhstan. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 31 Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin of Russia, and prime NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. local time on Tuesday, May 15.

Expedition 31 Soyuz Rocket Rollout

The Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft is raised into position at launch pad ne, Sunday, May 13, 2012. at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 31 Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin of Russia, and prime NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. local time on Tuesday, May 15.

Expedition 31 Soyuz Rocket Rollout

The Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft is seen in silhouette after being rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Sunday, May 13, 2012. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 31 Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin of Russia, and prime NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. local time on Tuesday, May 15.

Bye-Bye From Baikonur

At the historic museum near the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 31/32 Flight Engineer Joe Acaba of NASA adds his name to the "Wall of Signatures." This image was released on May 11, 2012.

Expedition 31 Crew Press Conference

Quarantined Expedition 31 prime crew members, from left, NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba, Russian Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka, and Russian Flight Engineer Sergei Revin pose for a group photograph during a prelaunch press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel on Monday, May 14, 2012 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with the crew of three is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. local time on Tuesday, May 15.

Expedition 31 Astronauts Pose for Photo

Attired in Russian Sokol launch and entry suits, Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka (center), Expedition 31 flight engineer and Expedition 32 commander; along with NASA astronaut Joe Acaba (left) and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Revin, both Expedition 31/32 flight engineers, take a break from training in Star City, Russia to pose for a portrait. This image was released Aug. 23, 2011.

Expedition 31 Patch

Thin crescents along the horizons of Earth and its moon depict International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 31. The shape of the patch represents a view of our galaxy. This image was released September 2012.