The new cargo will allow the orbiting outpost to continue to operate while waiting for NASA's shuttle fleet to return to flight.
Progress was lofted into space by a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Thursday. This 13th Progress to visit the station docked at the Zvezda module of station at 8:13 am EST (1313 GMT).
"Who knows when we're going to be able to launch shuttle, so from now until whenever that occurs the only way to get supplies and cargo up to the crew is via the Progress," said ISS flight director John Curry after the launch.
Packed inside the Progress for the Expedition Eight crew of Mike Foale and Alexander Kaleri was 5,171 pounds of material from home, including life support monitoring equipment, tools, clothing, personal hygiene supplies, medicine and by one count at least 91 AA-sized batteries.
The launch took place as the station flew over the Red Sea and afforded a chance for the crew to actually see the Soyuz rocket climb away from the Kazakh steppes.
Meanwhile, the crew have been busy working a variety of experiments and enjoying Super Bowl XXXVIII-related VIP calls from the ground.
Earlier this week NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue spoke with the crew, and on Tuesday the rock band Aerosmith visited with Foale via radio, exchanging notes on music, the band's concert tour and the possibility of building a space elevator to orbit some day.
Aerosmith is scheduled to perform as part of a tribute to the STS-107 Columbia crew the NFL and CBS-TV plan to broadcast during its pre-game show.
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