Article Images Launch day: Thursday 25 April 2002   April's scheduled Soyuz launch - a 'taxi flight' to the International Space Station - will carry with it a European astronaut on his maiden voyage into orbit. For Italian Roberto Vittori, the launch will mark a literal high point in his career so far. And although has never been in space before, he will be bringing a wealth of flying experience to the Marco Polo mission.   The Marco Polo flight and its three-strong crew thundered into the midday skies in a perfect lift-off from the wide open plains of Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Thursday 25 April 2002, at 12:26 local time (06:26 GMT).   April's scheduled Soyuz launch - a 'taxi flight' to the International Space Station - will carry with it a European astronaut on his maiden voyage into orbit. For Italian Roberto Vittori, the launch will mark a literal high point in his career so far. And although has never been in space before, he will be bringing a wealth of flying experience to the Marco Polo mission.   April's scheduled Soyuz launch - a 'taxi flight' to the International Space Station - will carry with it a European astronaut on his maiden voyage into orbit. For Italian Roberto Vittori, the launch will mark a literal high point in his career so far. And although has never been in space before, he will be bringing a wealth of flying experience to the Marco Polo mission. Release date: 3 May 2002