Posted: Thu, Jun 30, 2005, 6:45 AM ET (1045 GMT)
A Progress cargo spacecraft docked to the International Space Station has raised the orbit of the station, a move made in preparation for next month's planned shuttle mission. The Progress M-53 spacecraft, which arrived at the station earlier this month, first its thrusters for five minutes, raising the orbit of the station by 2.3 kilometers to a mean altitude of 352.9 km. Russian officials said the orbit-raising maneuver, a regular event to counteract atmospheric drag, was timed so that the station would provide the "best possible conditions" for a shuttle docking. The shuttle Discovery is scheduled to lift off no sooner than July 13 on the first mission to the ISS since the Columbia accident nearly two and a half years ago.

Related Links:

•  Itar-Tass article
•  RIA Novosti article
•  AFP article