ISS orbit adjusted prior to cargo ship docking

MOSCOW, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) was elevated Thursday in preparation for a docking with an unmanned cargo ship, Russia's Mission Control Center (MCC) said.

The 233-second maneuver, started at 6:15 a.m. Moscow time (0215 GMT), was conducted using the engines of the Progress M-17M, which is currently docked at the ISS' Zvezda module, according to the MCC website.

As a result, the ISS orbit was lifted by 830 meters to the average of 411 km.

The adjustment is aimed at preparing for the upcoming docking of the Progress M-18M cargo spacecraft, which is scheduled to blast off on February 11.

The current ISS crew comprises three Russian, two U.S. and a Canadian crew members.

We recommend:
Nudists rally for right to bare it all	Unforgettable moments you cannot miss in December	Bloody scenery of shark hunting
Sao Paulo faces hot weather in January	Finland celebrates Epiphany with slide show	Children taking cold-resistant exercise