The Olympic torch on its way to its first space walk in history.<br/> <br />It's been taken to the International Space Station by the three-man crew of a Soyuz rocket launched from Kazakhstan on Thursday.<br/> <br />The torch, unlit for the journey for safety reasons, is due to be taken on a space walk on Saturday.<br/> <br />The Olympic torch has previously journeyed into space aboard U.S. shuttle flights.<br/> <br />But it will be the first time it's forayed into open space during a planned space walk by two Russian cosmonauts on Saturday.<br/> <br />While it's taken outside the flame will remain lit on Earth 400 kilometres below.<br/> <br />It'll also have a tether to stop it floating out of the cosmonauts' grip in the weightlessness.<br/> <br />The flight to the space station is part of the longest torch relay before any Winter Olympics.<br/> <br />Less than six hours after the launch the torch was being handed over at the space station.<br/> <br />It'll return to Earth on Monday with another crew.
