Photographers take pictures as the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft carrying the crew of Jack Fischer of the U.S. and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) – A scaled-down, two-man U.S.-Russian crew arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday, six hours after blasting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, a NASA TV broadcast showed.

A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Jack Fischer, 43, and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, 58, lifted off at 1:13 p.m. local time/3:13 a.m. EDT (0713 GMT) with a rare empty third seat. Russia is scaling back space station staffing until its long-delayed science laboratory is flown to the orbiting outpost next year.

Fischer and Yurchikhin reached the $100 billion space station, which orbits about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, arriving on schedule at 9:18 a.m. EDT (1318 GMT).

Fischer said he suspected the biggest challenge he faces in his first voyage into space will be learning how to use the station’s zero-gravity toilet.

“It’s all about suction, it’s really difficult,” Fischer said in a NASA interview before launch. “You just can’t train for that on the ground, so I approach my space-toilet activities with respect, preparation and a healthy dose of sheer terror.”

The rookie astronaut will be sharing the station with two seasoned veterans, a Russian cosmonaut on his second flight and a first-time French flier.

Soyuz crewmate Yurchikhin has made four previous space flights. Station commander Peggy Whitson, 57, in the midst of her third long-duration mission, is due on Monday to beat the 534-day record for cumulative time spent in space by a U.S. astronaut.

She is expected to receive a congratulatory phone call on Monday from U.S. President Donald Trump, NASA said on Wednesday.

Whitson, who flew to the station in November along with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, will remain aboard with Fischer and Yurchikhin until September.

Photographers take pictures as the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft carrying the crew of Jack Fischer of the U.S. and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The International Space Station (ISS) crew member Jack Fischer of the U.S. talks to his family members as they are reflected in a glass between them after space suit check at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft carrying the crew of Jack Fischer of the U.S. and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia, blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The International Space Station (ISS) crew member Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia is assisted during his space suit check at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The International Space Station (ISS) crew members Jack Fischer of the U.S. (L) and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia walk after donning space suits shortly before their launch at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft carrying the crew of Jack Fischer of the U.S. and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia, blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The International Space Station (ISS) crew member Jack Fischer of the U.S. is assisted during his space suit check at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

Security personnel ride on an armoured vehicle next to the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft shortly before its launch at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft carrying the crew of Jack Fischer of the U.S. and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia, blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft carrying the crew of Jack Fischer of the U.S. and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia, blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft carrying the crew of Jack Fischer of the U.S. and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft carrying the crew of Jack Fischer of the U.S. and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft carrying the crew of Jack Fischer of the U.S. and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

(Editing by Steve Gorman, Louise Ireland and Meredith Mazzilli)