European space agency welcomes successful launch of Soyuz spacecraft

European Space Agency (ESA) welcomed the successful launch of Soyuz spacecraft carrying a Spanish astronaut on board.

A statement disseminated by the ESA on Saturday after a successful launch says that Pedro Duque, who is a member of an international crew, will become the sixth European astronaut and the first Spanish astronaut to work on board the International Space Station (ISS).

According to ESA, during eight days of work on board the ISS, Pedro Duque will conduct "a wide range of experiments in various research areas," which is called collectively the Servantes program. In particular, the program includes experiments in the sphere of physics, biology and technology.