Russian cargo spacecraft heads to space station after successful liftoff

The launch of the Russian Progress 66 is scheduled for 12:58 a.m. Wednesday (11:58 a.m. Baikonur time).

Image credit: NASA

New Delhi: A Russian cargo spacecraft carrying three tons of food, fuel and supplies for astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) lifted off early Wednesday (February 22).

The unpiloted Russian Progress 66 launched at 12:58 a.m. Wednesday (11:58 a.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to deliver the supplies to the Expedition 50 crew on the space station.

LIFTOFF! The Russian cargo craft leaves Earth to deliver supplies to the @Space_Station. Watch: https://t.co/mzKW5uDsTi pic.twitter.com/QXe6vff3dF — NASA (@NASA) February 22, 2017

The spacecraft, is set to dock to the Pirs docking compartment at 3:34 a.m. Friday, February 24.

The launch of the Russian cargo spacecraft was telecast live on NASA Television beginning at 12:30 a.m. EST Wednesday, February 22. 

As per NASA, Progress 66 will remain docked at the station for almost four months before departing in June for its de-orbit into Earth's atmosphere.

This is the first launch of a Progress cargo ship from Baikonur since the Progress 65 supply craft was lost December 1, 2016.