Russian cargo spaceship heads for ISS with supplies, mail

MOSCOW, July 24 (Xinhua) -- A Russian space freighter carrying supplies, gifts and mail for the International Space Station blasted off on Friday , Mission Control officials said.

The Mission Control Center outside Moscow said a Soyuz-U rocket lifted off with the Progress M-67 space freighter at 14:57 Moscow time (1057 GMT) from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan,.

The space freighter will deliver 2.5 tons of supplies, including food, water, fuel, and equipment, and letters and gifts from relatives of the crew.

The freighter was scheduled to dock with the ISS on July 29, one day after the U.S. space shuttle Endeavor departs.