Posted: Mon, Apr 7, 2008, 1:45 PM ET (1745 GMT)
A Progress cargo spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station on Monday, on the eve of the launch of a Soyuz carrying a new crew. The Progress M-63 spacecraft, carrying trash and other unwanted items from the station, undocked from the ISS at 4:49 am EDT (0849 GMT) and reentered the Earth's atmosphere over the south Pacific several hours later, burning up. The departure of the Progress clears the way for the launch Tuesday of a Soyuz spacecraft carrying two new long-duration crew members for the station, Russian cosmonauts Sergei Volkov and Oleg Kononenko. The Soyuz will also carry South Korean guest astronaut Yi So-yeon, who will return to Earth later this month with current ISS crew members Yuri Malenchenko and Peggy Whitson.

Related Links:

•  RIA Novosti article
•  Itar-Tass article