New crew blasts off to start work at International Space Station

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket taking off (AP Photo/John Raoux)

A new crew rocketed toward the International Space Station on Friday to replace the astronauts who returned to Earth early in Nasa’s first medical evacuation.

SpaceX launched the replacements as soon as possible at Nasa’s request, sending the US, French and Russian astronauts on an expected eight – to nine-month mission stretching until autumn.