Tim Peake launches into space and becomes Britain's first official astronaut to fly to the International Space Station
His lift-off, on a Russian Soyuz rocket with Russian commander Yuri Malenchenko and US astronaut Tim Kopra, happened at 11:03 GMT
After six-and-a-half hours, at 17:33 GMT, their capsule successfully docked with the ISS
Two-and-a-half hours after that, the hatch finally opened and the ISS crew welcomed the three newcomers on board
Mr Peake, previously an Army major and helicopter pilot, will spend six months on board the space station orbiting the Earth
He has spent six years training to become the first professional British astronaut to be employed by the European Space Agency
Thank you for reading, watching and contributing to the BBC's live coverage of Tim Peake's launch day.
That's it from us, for now.
If you've found today's events inspiring, watch the video below about the training involved in going to space - and read this BBC News feature: How likely am I to become an astronaut?, external
Tim received a glowing review from his mum, Angela, back in Baikonur. It was a fitting exchange at the end of a long day.
"Hello Tim. I think you would call today a spectacular day in the office."
"We had a great time in the office, that's for sure."
"Everybody sends their love and I hope you have a wonderful time."
"Thanks very much - and love to everybody back home."
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The phone is still being passed around the Baikonur cinema
Quote MessageIt was a beautiful launch... That first sunrise was absolutely spectacular - and we also got a moonrise on the first orbit as well. It was beautiful to see.
Tim Peake, UK astronaut
Image source, ESATim waves to Earth
A phone is being passed around the cinema packed with well-wishers in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, near where the Soyuz rocket first lifted off this morning.
The International Space Station Crew - now expanded by three - is listening in.
Image source, ESA
Tim Peake, Yuri Malenchenko and Tim Kopra are all safely on board the International Space Station.
Image source, ESATim Peake floats onto the ISS
Family and friends in Baikonur applaud
We just got this glimpse, from another external camera on the ISS, of the round window that was next to Tim Peake while the Soyuz made its ascent.
The craft is now very safely docked at the International Space Station - as you can see in the photo...
Image source, ESA"These things do sometimes take time," say the European Space Agency commentators.
"Sometimes it's faster, sometimes it's slower."
Nasa astronaut Chris Hadfield, speaking on Stargazing Live (watch using the "Live Coverage" tab above) speculated that perhaps the Soyuz crew - Tim Peake and his two companions - were trying to download all the data from their capsule before shutting it down.
This might be important if they want to troubleshoot and understand more about the issues they encountered at docking - but, of course, this is simply speculation.
Image source, ESA...but we're still waiting for the Soyuz capsule to open the door on its side.
Image source, ESAMeanwhile, theories are beginning to come forward about what we're waiting for...
Discussions are continuing in Russian on the audio from mission control - and everybody is keen to see the new crew members arrive as soon as possible!
Image source, ESA
Image source, ESAFresh from the launch this morning, well-wishers are gathered in a cinema in Baikonur, waiting to watch the moment of ingress...
Image source, ESA
Image source, ESA
Image source, ESAAdjustments and checks are being done inside - but here's the Soyuz craft seen from an external camera on a different part of the International Space Station:
Image source, ESAIn the meantime - look back at some of the nifty steering manoevres made by the crew as they approached the Space Station earlier:
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The problem with our BBC Two feed has been fixed.
Using the tabs above you can now watch Dara O Briain and Prof Brian Cox hosting a special edition of Stargazing Live, "Brit in Space".
Right now, they're talking to ISS veteran Commander Chris Hadfield about how Tim Peake will be feeling.
Not great, apparently.
And he might take a few days to get used to floating around...
Quote MessageWe need to give him a little while before he get adapted.
Chris Hadfield, Nasa astronaut
Use the "Live Coverage" tab above to watch live footage as we wait for Tim Peake and his fellow crew members to enter the International Space Station.
You can watch the stream from the European Space Agency (Esa) or the BBC News Channel.
We're having some technical problems with the live stream of BBC Two's Stargazing Live special - for which we apologise.
Paul Rincon
Science editor, BBC News website, Baikonur
Tim Peake's successful docking at the ISS means that five out of the six European space agency astronaut class of 2009 have now flown into space.
I asked Thomas Reiter, director of human space flight at ESA, and a former astronaut, what it meant.
"It's a great success. In 2009, we would never have thought that we would have been and to fly them all in five years... Tim contributed to that by doing such a good job during his training.
2I think the way he is communicating is excellent. We are all really proud of him."
On the frequency of a manual docking of the Soyuz, he said: "I cannot tell you any statistics, but it happens every once in a while. Commanders are always very happy when it happens because one of the last tasks a crew has to rehearse here in Baikonur before launch is a manual docking.
"It's not just the commanders doing it, the whole crew needs to work together. Despite all the automated technology, when something goes wrong humans fly it in manually.
"That's a good sign I think for the interactions between humans and the systems on board."
With a few minutes to go until the crew make their way weightlessly onto the space station, Esa tweets:
And don't forget you'll be able to watch another Stargazing Live special, "Brit in Space", right here on this page from 19:00 GMT.
This format works best on a smartphone or tablet - you can tilt the screen (or click and drag if you're on a desktop) to look around.
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Paul Rincon
Science editor, BBC News website, Baikonur
I caught up with David Parker, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, and asked him what Tim's successful launch meant for Britain.
He said: "It's massive for the UK space agency. It's the thing we've been working for and dreaming about for a very long time. It signals the UK rejoining the whole of the international space community."
Mr Parker was also excited thinking of the impact on young people:
Quote MessageIt's fantastic to have kids all around the country watching this and... hopefully dreaming big dreams."
On whether the UK could sustain its involvement in human space flight beyond Tim's mission, he it was "too early" to say for sure.
"It's certainly what we'd like to happen. We need to see the impact from this project.
"As well as Tim's mission, there's the science that's going to happen on the space station even after Tim comes back - and there's technology being built in the UK that will go on the ISS in a few years' time."
Here's the moment the Soyuz capsule, with its three crew members on board, finally acheived "capture" at the ISS.
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Two posts below, you can read our online science editor Paul Rincon's discussion of this manual docking effort.