Posted: Thu, Jan 29, 2004, 1:17 PM ET (1817 GMT)
A Soyuz booster launched a Progress cargo spacecraft Thursday on a mission to the International Space Station. The Soyuz lifted off from Baikonur at 6:58 am EST (1158 GMT), placing the Progress-M1 11 spacecraft into low Earth orbit nine minutes later. The spacecraft, carrying approximately two and a half tons of supplies, is scheduled to dock with the aft port of the Zvezda module of the ISS at 8:15 am EST (1315 GMT) Saturday. That port has been occupied by the Progress-M 48 spacecraft, which undocked from the station early Wednesday and burned up in the atmosphere several hours later. The Progress is carrying food, water, propellant, and other supplies, such as spare parts for some station components. Those parts include a flex hose for the window in the Destiny module to replace one that was the source of a minor air leak on the station earlier this month.

Related Links:

•  Itar-Tass article
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  Reuters article
•  AP article
•  RIA Novosti article