Article Posted on : - Jun 30, 2010

The Progress spaceship. A File photo

BAIKONUR (BNS): Russia will launch a Soyuz-U rocket carrying the Progress M-06M space freighter to the International Space Station on Wednesday.

The spacecraft will be launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome at 15:35 GMT, federal space agency Roscosmos said.

Late cargo access and tanking of the spacecraft will be done later on Wednesday after which the rocket will get the go-ahead for launch, the agency said.

The Progress spaceship will deliver about 2.5 tonne of supplies, including propellant, water, air, scientific equipment, consumables, etc, to the ISS. It is expected to dock with the orbital station at 16:55 GMT on Friday.

Earlier on Monday, the Soyuz-TMA 19 manned spacecraft was moved from its docking port at the space station’s Zvezda module to the Raasvet module to make way for the Progress cargo craft.

The space station’s orbit was raised by 2.5 kilometers earlier this month to ensure smooth docking of both the Soyuz TMA-19 and the Progress M-06M spaceships.