Russian cargo spacecraft docks with space station

MOSCOW, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Progress M-02M cargo spaceship docked with the International Space Station (ISS) late Tuesday, said a spokesman for the Mission Control Center outside Moscow.

Progress M-02M atop Soyuz-U on May 7, 2009. (File photo)

After five days of independent flight, the spaceship successfully docked with the ISS at 11:24 p.m. Moscow time (1924 GMT) on Tuesday, said Valery Lyndin, spokesman for the flight control center.

The Progress M-02M spaceship blasted off at 10:37 p.m. Moscow time (1837 GMT) on Thursday from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, is to deliver some 2.5 tons of supplies for the ISS crew members.

It carries food, water, fuel, clothes and equipment, as well as the third Orlan-MK space suit for the crew.

The spaceship is equipped with a modern digital control system, which enables the spacecraft to dock with the ISS more accurately.