MISSION CONTROL (Moscow Region), February 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Progress M-63 cargo ship has docked with the International Space Station (ISS) as planned, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported Thursday.

Progress M-63 delivered 2.5 metric tons of cargo, including food, equipment and other supplies, for the ISS.

The crew on board the ISS, the 16th expedition to the space station, comprises U.S. astronauts Peggy Whitson and Daniel Tani, as well as Russia's Yury Malenchenko.

NASA said that a repeatedly-delayed Atlantis space shuttle launch has been set for today.

During the upcoming mission, the crew members will carry out three spacewalks, installing and activating the $2 billion Columbus space laboratory, which has taken some 10 years to construct and is Europe's main contribution to the ISS.

The ISS crew will also see a new face, with flight engineer Daniel Tani being replaced by European Space Agency astronaut Leopold Eyharts.

The flight has been repeatedly put off since December 6 over problems with faulty fuel tank sensors and a radiator hose. The launch of the 24th shuttle mission to the ISS is still uncertain, however, due to weather concerns that make yet another delay extremely likely.