Rocket to bring new laboratory to ISS

The vehicle is due to lift off from the Russian Baikonur spaceport in the Kazakhstan.

On board is the Russian module Nauka (Science), which was already supposed to be launched into space in 2007. Problems had repeatedly led to delays. The flight to the ISS is scheduled to last eight days.

As a multi-purpose module, Nauka is primarily intended for research and will dock with the Russian part of the station, the space agency Roscosmos announced, adding it will also serve as crew quarters with its own life support system.

Nauka measures 13 by 4.11 metres with a weight of more than 20 tons.

After docking with the ISS, several field missions by Russian cosmonauts are expected for its completion.