The Soyuz capsule approaches the International Space Station early Wednesday morning.<br/> <br />On board are two astronauts and a cosmonaut, who will take part in more than 100 research experiments and technology tests aboard the station.<br/> <br />The crew also plans to embark on five spacewalks in the next three months to prepare for a new Russian laboratory module set to arrive in December.<br/> <br />Russia's veteran cosmonaut Fyodor Yuchikhin led the crew, which also includes Italy's Luca Parmitano, who is making his first space voyage.<br/> <br />Rounding out the team is American mechanical engineer Karen Nyberg.<br/> <br />The Soyuz spaceship, seen here launching from a base in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, took a shortcut to the station, making the journey in less than six hours instead of two days.<br/> <br />The capsule circled the earth almost four times before eventually catching up to the station and docking.
