Russia's Progress M-63 cargo ship has docked with the International Space Station (ISS) as planned, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported Thursday. Progress M-63 delivered 2.5 metric tons of cargo, including food, equipment and other supplies, for the ISS. The crew on board the ISS, the 16th expedition to the space station, comprises U.S. astronauts Peggy Whitson and Daniel Tani, as well as Russia's Yury Malenchenko.
During the upcoming mission, the crew members will carry out three spacewalks, installing and activating the $2 billion Columbus space laboratory, which has taken some 10 years to construct and is Europe's main contribution to the ISS.
The ISS crew will also see a new face, with flight engineer Daniel Tani being replaced by European Space Agency astronaut Leopold Eyharts.
Source: RIA Novosti
