This NASA handout photo from 2007 shows the International Space Station. A Russian cargo ship, launched Friday from the Baikonur space station in Kazakhstan, has docked with the International Space Station, the Russian news agency Interfax said.

A Russian cargo ship, launched Friday from the Baikonur space station in Kazakhstan, docked Wednesday with the International Space Station, the Russian news agency Interfax said.

"The docking proceeded on manual systems. The operation was conducted by the station commander Gennady Padalka," said a spokesman for the . It was initially expected that the docking would take place in automatic mode.

The Progress M-67 cargo ship is carrying 2.5 tonnes of freight: fuel, scientific equipment, water, gas, and packages from NASA, the US space agency.

Six astronauts, including two Russians and an American, are currently on board the ISS.

(c) 2009 AFP