Mir supply rocket finally takes off

Moscow - A Progress cargo vessel blasted off yesterday from the Baikonur cosmodrome, two days after Russia and Kazakhstan resolved…

Moscow - A Progress cargo vessel blasted off yesterday from the Baikonur cosmodrome, two days after Russia and Kazakhstan resolved a row over use of the space centre, Russian mission command said.

The Soyuz rocket carrying the craft lifted off on schedule at 8.38 p.m. (1638 GMT) from Baikonur and set out for its journey to dock with the Mir space station to deliver fresh supplies.

The launch, initially scheduled for Wednesday, was delayed after Kazakhstan banned Russian launches from the cosmodrome on July 6th , the day after a Russian rocket carrying a military satellite exploded after lift-off.

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