The Soyuz-FG rocket carrying the vessel blasted off from Baikonur at 01:47 GMT, and the Progress separated itself from its launcher nine minutes later, the Russian news agency quoted mission control officials as saying.

The Progress vessel is carrying a cargo of 2,566 kilograms, including food, water and fuel, as well as several films for the ISS crew's entertainment.

Russian flight commander Yury Malenchenko and US flight engineer Edward Lu arrived at the space station in late April for a six-month mission.

Russia has been the only country servicing the 16-nation orbiting space station since the United States grounded its shuttle programme following the Columbia disaster on February 1.

SPACE.WIRE