NASA Television will provide live coverage of the launch and docking of the next Russian cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station Wednesday, Oct. 31.

The ISS Progress 49 resupply ship, loaded with 2.5 tons of food, fuel and supplies for the crew aboard the station, is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 2:41 a.m. CDT (3:41 a.m. EDT and 1:41 p.m. Kazakhstan time). NASA TV coverage of the launch begins at 2:15 a.m.

A few hours later, NASA TV coverage will resume at 8 a.m. CDT for the docking of the Progress to the space station’s Zvezda Service Module at 8:40 a.m.

If any technical issues arise, the Russian flight control team may default to a two-day rendezvous plan that would result in docking on Nov. 2. For NASA TV downlink information, up-to-date schedules and links to streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For information on the International Space Station and the crew of Expedition 33, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station