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Progress cargo spacecraft docks with ISS

RIA Novosti

18/09/2008 10:07 MOSCOW, September 18 (RIA Novosti) - A Progress freighter has successfully docked with the ISS after a four-day delay caused by Hurricane Ike forcing the evacuation of NASA's space center in Houston last week, Russia's mission control said.

The Progress M-65, launched on board a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on September 10, has delivered more than 2.5 tons of fuel, oxygen, water, food and medical supplies, as well as the latest Russian-designed space suit for use during a space walk by Russian crewmembers on board the International Space Station.

The fully computerized new Orlan-MK suit is an updated version of the Orlan-M, which was used by previous crews.

NASA made an official request for the Progress docking to be delayed after around 1 million people, including staff at NASA's mission control in Texas, were forced to flee as the devastating Hurricane Ike approached the U.S. state.

NASA spokesman in Russia, Mark Bowman said the mission control center in Houston, which has suffered slight damage, would not reopen until Monday at the earliest.

The space station's U.S. segment is currently being controlled by a backup center in Huntsville, Alabama.