MLM-U (Nauka) module

Artist′s rendering of the Nauka module docked to Zvezda.

The Nauka module at the Khrunichev factory

Description:

Mission details:

• On Jul 21, 2021 at 1458 UTC Roskosmos launched a Proton-M from Baikonur carrying the 20-tonne MLM-U Nauka module to orbit. Nauka is scheduled to dock with the ISS Zvezda nadir port.
  Attached to the 19627 kg Nauka is the European Robotic Arm, ERA, a 630 kg, 11.4m long robot arm. Two parts of Nauka, the ShK airlock and the module radiator, are already at ISS - they have been sitting dormant attached to the Rassvet module for the past eleven years. On the first day in orbit, a number of Nauka′s systems malfunctioned, including its main engines, and flight controllers were working to resolve the issues.
• The Nauka module made a 15m/s orbit raising burn on Jul 22. Further orbit raising burns left it in a 334 x 406 km orbit by Jul 25, with the initial propulsion system problems resolved.
• Nauka successfully docked with the Zvezda nadir port at 1329 UTC Jul 29. Oleg Novitskiy was within seconds of taking over manual TORU remote control for the final 10 metres of the approach, as the automatic system was experiencing some oscillations in alignment, but according to a report by Anatoliy Zak the issue straightened itself out just in time and automatic docking was allowed to run to completion.
• Nauka′s adventures were not over. At 1645 UTC the Nauka thrusters began unexpectedly firing, threatening loss of attitude control for the ISS. The Zvezda and Progress MS-17 thrusters tried to counteract the unwanted torque, but ISS tumbled until Nauka′s propellant was depleted and the other modules could restore attitude. Note that initial reports of a mere 45 degree attitude deviation were superseded; one flight controller commented: "we [i.e. ISS] proceeded to do headstands and cartwheels. Olympic judges would be proud" and reported that the station made 1.5 full rotations in pitch before being brought under control. However, by around 1800 UTC the situation on ISS was stable. Hatches to Nauka were opened on Jul 30.

External links:

• SpaceCom: 210728-Russia′s Nauka module briefly tilts space station with unplanned thruster fire
  
• SpaceCom: 210715-Russia′s new Nauka module readied for launch
  
• Wikipedia: Module Information
• Skyrocket: Module Information