A Russian Progress launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakstan and reached orbit, then docked with the International Space Station yesterday.

The logistics ship carried vital items for the station such as two tons of fuel, food and supplies.

In a special touch, the cargo ship also delivered holiday gifts to the station crew members who will spend the season roughly 200 miles above their home planet.

While it may be better to give than to receive, station crew members will be grateful recipients of those gifts. They are Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus.

Magnus just arrived at the station for a months-long stay, riding up from Earth aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. (Please see separate story in this issue.)