Posted: Sat, Feb 1, 2003, 5:39 PM ET (2239 GMT)
An unmanned Progress spacecraft is scheduled to launch Sunday from Russia to deliver supplies to the International Space Station, Russian and American officials said Saturday. A Soyuz rocket is scheduled to lift off at 7:59 am EST (1259 GMT) Sunday from Baikonur with the Progress M-47 spacecraft, also known as Progress 10, carrying supplies to the ISS. Rosaviakosmos officials told the Interfax news agency that the launch was still scheduled for Sunday despite the space shuttle Columbia accident on Saturday. NASA officials, at a press conference Saturday, also confirmed that the Progress launch was still on schedule. Shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore said that a last-minute check confirmed that the contents of the Progress were appropriate for an extended stay by the current Expedition Six crew, given that the shuttle is likely to be grounded for the foreseeable future. Dittemore said that there are enough supplies on the station or can be delivered by Progress spacecraft to keep the station occupied through late June without any shuttle visits. The station crew was notified of the Columbia accident by 10:30 am EST (1530 GMT), NASA said. Officials would not speculate about the future of the ISS should the shuttle be grounded for an extended period.

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•  Interfax article