Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The Russian Soyuz capsule docked with the ISS above West Africa

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft has docked with the International Space Station, delivering three new astronauts for the orbiting laboratory.

The Soyuz blasted off from Kazakhstan on Wednesday carrying Catherine Coleman of the US, Russian Dmitry Kondratyev and Italian Paolo Nespoli.

The docking took place 220 miles (355km) above West Africa.

Two Russians and one American are already are on board the ISS, giving a total crew of six.

After 2011, the Soyuz will be the only vehicle able to transport crews to the ISS.

The US has only two more space shuttle flights scheduled before retiring its shuttle programme next year.