Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos has announced that its Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft was successfully launched into the planned orbit.

According to ROSCOSMOS, Soyuz-2.1a rocket, carrying the MS-23 spacecraft, lifted off from the Baikonur launch site in Kazakhstan. The spacecraft is flying in unmanned mode and will dock with the International Space Station within two days.

MS-23 spacecraft will deliver to ISS 430 kg of cargo, including equipment for medical research, space station cleaning, air quality monitoring, scientific experiments, as well as food and other supplies.

MS-23 is expected to bring back to Earth three astronauts, who were sent to ISS by MS-22 in September 2022. However, MS-22 spacecraft was hit by a micrometeoroid in December, which caused a problem with its external radiator.