Billionaire entertainer Guy Laliberte has been greeted by a raucous crowds of friends and family during preparations for his Soyuz rocket trip to the International Space Station.

The Cirque du Soleil founder and two fellow astronauts were cheered by supporters wearing red clown noses during pre-launch preparations Wednesday at Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

As Canadian Laliberte, US Astronaut Jeffrey Williams and Russian Cosmonaut Maxim Surayev climbed into their capsule on the launch pad, they sang the pop song, "Mammy Blue."

Among those cheering were Laliberte's wife, former model Claudia Barilla, and Quebec singing star Garou.

The three were expected to blast off later Wednesday morning for a two-day trip to the orbiting laboratory. - Sapa-AP