Parabolic antenna at the Baikonur Cosmodrome — in Baikonur City, Kazakhstan

Mounted on a Soviet Union era base structure. ; Spectators try to grab the highest viewing point to watch the launch of the Soyuz. The Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft launched with Expedition 13 crew members cosmonaut Pavel V. Vinogradov, Russia’s Federal Space Agency International Space Station commander; astronaut Jeffrey N. Williams, NASA International Space Station science officer and flight engineer; and astronaut Marcos Pontes, Brazilian Space Agency Soyuz crew member. They began their mission Wednesday evening launching from Baikonur, Kazakhstan at 8:30 a.m. (Kazakhstan time). Pontes will return home with Expedition 12 on April 8.