MOSCOW, November 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia launched on Wednesday a Soyuz-U carrier rocket with a cargo spacecraft, equipped with a new on-board digital control system, from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, Mission Control said.

"The flight of the first cargo spacecraft in the new, digitally-controlled Progress M-01M series will take four days to check the proper operation of all on-board systems," a spokesman said.

Mission control earlier said it would conduct checks to make sure the digital equipment responds promptly to commands. If there are no performance problems, it will switch to a regular two-day pattern of operation.

The new space freighter will deliver 2.5 tons of cargo to the orbital station, including food and water supplies for the current crew, as well as fuel and scientific equipment.