The International Space Station crew will get a special Christmas delivery when the next Russian cargo ship docks to the orbiting laboratory Dec. 23. NASA Television will provide live coverage of the 2:55 p.m. EST docking beginning at 2 p.m.
The Progress spacecraft will launch Dec. 21 at 1:38 p.m. EST from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The craft will spend two days closing in on the station before docking to the Pirs Docking Compartment. NASA Television will not broadcast the launch. This will be the 20th Progress to dock with the station.
Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur and Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev will find almost three tons of food, fuel, oxygen and spare parts aboard the craft, as well as holiday gifts from their families. McArthur and Tokarev are in the third month of a six-month mission.