The Russian science block Nauka merged with the ISS

After nearly fifteen years of eight-day voyage to space and initial projects, the new Russian science block Nauka, on Thursday, July 29, at the International Space Station (ISS), is not without a temporary momentum problem.

Hours after the ship landed, the astronauts unexpectedly announced that they were igniting the Nauka engines.

“Motivations started to work (…) Unexpectedly and carelessly, it moves the station from a 45 degree position. Rescue operations have put it back in its place [initiale] And crew are not in danger “NASA commented on Twitter. The ignition of the thrusters was stopped and the loss of position was stopped. Station returned to expected, NASA commented on a live broadcast of the flight control.

Contact and capture, docking confirmed. At 9:29 am ET, the @Roscosmos Nauka science block arrived on Earth-Facade … https://t.co/pRnMzzKW33

– NASA (NASA)

Boeing Starliner test release postponed

The US space agency has also revealed that the spacecraft Dragon is on standby from the SpaceX project launched by US billionaire Elon Musk, which is currently linked to the International Space Station, and is ready to evacuate crews if necessary. As a result of this incident, the test launch of the unmanned Boeing Starliner spacecraft to the International Station has been postponed until the minimum trial on August 3.

Science (“Science” In Russian, pronounced «Nou Ka In French) on July 21 on a Proton-M rocket from the Russian Python Cosmotrome in Kazakhstan. At the end of these eight days in space, it was necessary to position itself in the same orbit as the ISS, and the space laboratory stopped at 4:29 pm (3:29 pm in Paris) on the Russian service module Svesta.

The docking was to take place automatically, but astronaut Oleg Nowitsky, now aboard the ISS, took manual control of the module to guide him over the past few meters. “New volume, new perspectives for Russian astronauts”In the meantime, congratulations Twitter Astronaut Evan Wagner.

It still takes several months and a series of additional vehicle emissions for the Nauka to be fully operational and integrated into the ISS. This is the first time in eleven years that the new Russian module has joined the orbit laboratory.

International Cooperation Work

The move is being closely monitored by the European Space Agency (ESA), which will install one of its devices, the ERA robotic arm, outside the module.

After a successful launch and launch into orbit, Nauka’s path was marked by a number of technical issues, forcing Roscosmos to maneuver and raising fears that for some time the module would not reach ISS. “For the first three days we were worried, telemetry loss occurred”, Said Dmitry Rokosin, head of the Russian Space Agency, a “State Commission will analyze all observations”.

“Congratulations to everyone involved”, Commented Twitter ESA Director General Joseph Ashbacher, NASA and private actor Boeing Space also congratulated the Russian space agency. ISS and space exploration are a rare part of international cooperation between Russia and the West during times of tension.

With a total weight of 20 tons per 70 m interior block³ – It is one of the largest in the ISS – This module was assembled in the 1990s but was initially planned for 2007, but was subsequently delayed. Like other Russian space programs, it suffered from financial problems, bureaucratic errors and technical difficulties during its design.

The space laboratory transforms the PIRS block, which was separated from the ISS on Monday, before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

If Nauka is primarily a laboratory module, that too will provide “Places for Workstations and Cargo Storage, Water and Oxygen Regeneration Equipment”, According to Roscosmos.

Meanwhile, ESA’s robot arm has been almost ready since 2007, waiting for this docking. Nau was able to stand hanging in the cage “Move” In the Russian section of the ISS, it can carry up to eight tons of equipment and assist astronauts during extra vehicle travel.