A Russian launched resupply craft successfully docked to the international space station this morning, filled with food and fuel for the current and future crews of six.
The Progress M-67 (34) craft docked to the station's Russian Zvezda module's aft port at 7:12 am EDT, as the two spacecraft flew 220 miles over western Russia.
However, about ten minutes prior to docking, the Progress' automatic docking system failed to place the craft in proper alignment with station. Russian cosmonaut and space station commander Gennady Padalka then took over and manually docked the cargo ship a few minutes earlier than planned.
This is the 34th Progress supply ship carries within it just over two tons of food, fuel, oxygen and spare parts for the Expedition 20 crew, of which most of the supplies will last into this October's arrival of the 21 crew.
"Gennady is top of the line on manual modes," stated co-station resident Michael Baratt minutes after the docking.
Launched last Friday, the Progress was placed in a holding pattern as Endeavour finished up work to complete the Japanese Kibo module. The docking occurred just 18 hours after shuttle Endeavour's undocking on Tuesday.
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