Russia has launched an unmanned cargo ship to resupply the International Space Station (ISS).
Space officials said the Progress MS-16 ship blasted off on time from the Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan on February 15.
Loaded with food, water, equipment, and other supplies, Progress is scheduled to dock at the orbiting station on February 17.
The station currently has seven crew members on board -- from Russia, the United States, and Japan.
Russian space vehicles such as Progress have long served as workhorse transportation for getting people and supplies to the ISS, particularly since the United States grounded its space shuttle fleet in 2011.
However, the U.S. space agency has given approval to private companies like SpaceX to provide transport to the station, which will reduce reliance on Russian spacecraft in the coming years.
