A closely watched Russian supply mission to the International Space Station is primed for takeoff from a base in Kazakhstan.
The Progress M-28M is set to lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 9:55 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday.
The capsule will contain three tons of food, fuel and other supplies delivered through a pressurized cargo module, which will also allow the crew to transfer garbage, wastewater and unwanted equipment back to the Progress.
The Progress mission has taken on new urgency after three supply missions to the space station have failed since last October -- including Sunday’s SpaceX explosion over the coast of Florida.