A Russian rocket carrying two cosmonauts and an American astronaut to the international space station streaked into orbit today – another crew rotation in a Russian space vehicle filling in for US space shuttles.

A Russian cargo ship packed with supplies and equipment docked successfully with the international space station today, bringing food, water, fuel and other items to the two-man Russian-American crew, a space official said.

The Russian Soyuz spacecraft that will return to Earth from the International Space Station this week is leaking helium, Russian space officials said today.

The Mir crash date and splashdown site have been altered to avoid uninhabited French South Pacific islands.