Watch SpaceX rocket blast off to International Space Station

The four astronauts that make up SpaceX Crew-12 have began their journey to the International Space Station (ISS).

Nasa's Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, the European Space Agency's Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos's Andrey Fedyaev are all aboard the Falcon 9 rocket as it travels 34 hours to its destination.

The crew will spend eight months on the ISS, replacing a team that evacuated the station last month due to a medical emergency.

"Crew-12 is grateful and ready for the journey ahead", mission commander Jessica Meir said after the launch.