Posted: Thu, Dec 22, 2005, 11:51 AM ET (1651 GMT)
A Russian Progress cargo spacecraft was launched Wednesday on a mission to the International Space Station. A Soyuz rocket carrying the Progress M-55 spacecraft lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1:38 pm EST (1838 GMT). The spacecraft, called Progress 20 by NASA, is carrying 2.8 tons of food, water, propellant, and other supplies for the two-man ISS crew. Also on board the Progress are holiday gifts for crewmembers Valery Tokarev and William McArthur. The Progress is scheduled to dock with the Pirs module of the ISS on Friday.

Related Links:

•  SPACE.com article
•  AP article
•  Florida Today article
•  Itar-Tass article
•  NASA ISS status report