An unmanned Russian space capsule carrying tons of food, water and supplies to the international space station docked with the orbiting laboratory today, two days after the first attempt went awry.

A video feed from Russian mission control just outside Moscow reported the docking took place on automatic systems without problems.

The space station has three Russian and three US astronauts aboard as it orbits 220 miles above the Earth.

The Progress cargo ship was to have docked with the space station on Friday, but failed. Russian controllers said the failure was due to the activation of a transmitter for the manual rendezvous system, which overrode the automated system.

Russian station commander Alexander Skvortsov said the Progress was rotating uncontrollably as it neared the station during Friday's docking attempt, but officials from Nasa and Russia later said the ship was never out of their control.

After the failed docking, it was moved to about 180 miles away from the station. A series of engine firings yesterday reoriented the Progress.

The Progress ships have been the backbone of Russia's unmanned cargo ship programme for years. Their importance will increase with the end of the US space shuttle programme next year.