Rocket With 2 Russians, American Blasts Off For Space Station

Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking to strengthen space cooperation with China after ties with the West broke down following the start of Moscow's offensive in Ukraine last year.

Two Russians and an American rocketed toward the International Space Station on Friday amid raging tensions between Moscow and Washington over Ukraine.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub and NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara lifted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft, which spewed a torrent of fire. 

The crew was expected to dock at the ISS three hours later.