On Thursday, Russia successfully launched a supply rocket to the International Space Station (ISS), maintaining one of the few ongoing Russia-U.S. collaborations since Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.

The Soyuz-2 rocket, carrying the Progress MS-26 cargo ship, was launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, as announced by Russia’s space agency on its Telegram channel, accompanied by a video of the lift-off.

The rocket is expected to reach the ISS on Saturday, carrying essential supplies such as fuel, food, and scientific equipment for the seven astronauts currently aboard the space station.

This crew includes three Russian cosmonauts, two American astronauts, and one specialist each from Denmark and Japan, the Moscow Times reported.

Despite previous indications in July 2022 that Russia planned to withdraw from the ISS project after 2024, the Russian and U.S. space agencies agreed in December to extend their joint flights to the ISS until 2025.

While Russian cosmonauts remain a vital part of the ISS, Russia has expressed its priority in creating a new Russian space station.

The ISS, established through collaborative efforts by Russia, the United States, Europe, and Japan, began assembly in 1998 and was initially intended to operate until 2024.

However, NASA has suggested the possibility of extending its operations until 2030.

Written by B.C. Begley