Unmanned Russian Cargo Spaceship Launched

U.S. astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria (left), one of the three members of the crew of the International Space Station (Courtesy Photo) October 23, 2006 -- An unmanned Russian spaceship carrying 2.5 tons of equipment and supplies for the International Space Station (ISS) blasted off today from the Baikonur launchpad in Kazakhstan.

The Progress M-58 cargo ship, which is mounted on a Soyuz-U booster rocket, is scheduled to reach the ISS on October 26.

Among the provisions are fresh fruit and vegetables, compact discs, and DVDs for the station's current three-man crew, Russia's Mikhail Tyurin, Germany's Thomas Reiter, and U.S. astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria.

(Kazakhstan Today, ITAR-TASS)