Posted: Wed, Sep 25, 2002, 10:15 AM ET (1415 GMT)

An unmanned Progress cargo spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station Tuesday to make way for the arrival of a new Progress. The old Progress, known as both Progress-M46 and Progress 8, undocked from the aft port on the Zvezda service module Tuesday at 10 am EDT (1400 GMT). Although Progress spacecraft are usually deorbited within a day of undocking, this spacecraft will remain in a parking orbit for a few weeks to conduct photography of northeast Russia before burning up in the atmosphere, NASA reported. The next Progress spacecraft, called Progress 9 by NASA, is scheduled to launch on a Soyuz from Baikonur on Wednesday.