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Progress spacecraft to carry cargo, Chibis micro satellite

The launch of Soyuz-U with docked Progress M-13M spacecraft from the Gagarin first launch pad is scheduled for 14:11 Moscow time

MOSCOW, October 30 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian cargo spacecraft Progress will start from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the International Space Station / ISS / on Sunday.

Its special mission is to make up for losses incurred in late August due to the accident with its predecessor. Besides, in early 2012, this ship will become a starter set to launch Chibis scientific micro satellite into space.

"The launch of Soyuz-U with docked Progress M-13M spacecraft from the Gagarin first launch pad is scheduled for 14:11 Moscow time", - Russia’s Federal Space Agency /Roskosmos/ told Itar-Tass. "The ‘truck’ will deliver to orbit more than 2.6 tons of cargo for the station and the crew as well as the Chibis scientific micro satellite, intended for the study of lightning strikes.

The ship carries fuel and equipment for the station, oxygen, water, clothes and food for cosmonauts. In addition to standard cargo, it will bring to the orbit new cell cultures for biotechnology experiments.

Progress will deliver to the ISS parcels from families and gifts for the crew – Russia’s Sergei Volkov, America’s Michael Fossum and Japan’s Satoshi Furukawa, whose work in space ends November 22. In addition to standard set of food products, the cosmonauts will receive fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as candies and other sweets from psychologists and families.

Progress M-13M is due to dock the Pirs docking module at 15:40 Moscow time on November 2 in automatic mode.