Russian supply ship lifts off for space station

Moscow: An unmanned Russian cargo ship has lifted off on a journey to the International Space Station.

The Progress spacecraft blasted off today from Russia's space launch complex in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, and is to dock with the space station two days later. It is delivering 2.5 metric tons of fuel, water, food and other supplies. Russian Mission Control said the ship has successfully entered its designated orbit just over nine minutes after the liftoff.

It was the maiden launch of a modified version of the Progress, which has been in service for more than four decades. The new version, called Progress-MS, is fully digital and features an improved docking system. A Progress launch in April ended in failure, but the latest supply mission in October was successful.