Russian cargo ship launched to space station

A RUSSIAN cargo ship was launched successfully to the International Space Station yesterday, clearing the way for the next manned mission and easing concerns about the station’s future after a previous failed launch.

The unmanned Progress M-13M blasted off as scheduled at 2:11pm Moscow time (1011 GMT) from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Mission Control spokesman Valery Lyndin said.

“It was a perfect launch,” Lyndin told Associated Press, adding that the ship successfully reached a designated orbit and will dock at the station Wednesday. A new crew will be launched to the space outpost on November 14, he said.