A Soyuz spacecraft carrying an American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts has docked successfully at the International Space Station.

A Russian Mission Control spokesman said the spacecraft hooked up with the orbiting station using an automatic docking system on Sunday.

The Soyuz was launched Friday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

American Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Russians Alexander Skvortsov and Mikhail Kornienko are joining the station's three current inhabitants.

Within three days, a seven-person crew aboard the Shuttle Discovery will dock at the station for a 13-day mission. During this period, four women will be in space at the same time, which is a first in history.

Nasa has cleared Discovery for a Monday morning launch.