Russian Space Station Module Delivery Delayed Again

NASA / Carla CioffiTraining mock-up of the Nauka module at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center outside Moscow.

Special report for MT

Asignificant contribution tothe International Space Station, Russia's Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module, will not be delivered tothe orbital outpost before 2017, nearly 10 years past its intended launch date.

Engineers atRSC Energia theRussian state-owned company responsible forbuilding Russia's manned space vehicles were working onthe module when they discovered debris inthe engines, Interfax reported onMonday, citing asource inthe Russian space industry. Themodel was scheduled forflight this year.

TheCouncil ofChief Designers, asenior body ofRussian engineers responsible forthe Russian segment ofISS, has concluded that theextensive nature ofthe repair andrecertification process all but rule out thedelivery ofthe module tothe space station prior to2017.

Federal Space Agency chief Oleg Ostapenko said that ameeting will be held atthe end ofMay tofinalize therepair plans forthe module, but added that it is "too early totalk about timing," Interfax reported.

Thedelay marks thelatest development inthe ongoing saga ofthe module, designated Nauka theRussian word forscience. Although thecurrent design forthe module was finalized in2004 andslated forlaunch in2007, aseries ofsetbacks over theyears had pushed themodule's flight back to2014.

Themodule includes apropulsion system tohelp control the ofthe station, provide additional storage space andfuel tanks andwould add extra parking space forthe Soyuz andProgress spacecraft that routinely ferry crews andcargo tothe orbiting outpost.

Theongoing difficulties faced byNauka also present questions regarding thefate ofa long awaiting European contribution toISS theEuropean Robotic Arm which was designed tobe fitted onthe exterior ofthe module.

Thearm has been completed andawaiting launch since 2005, pending thedelivery ofNauka tothe space station.

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Russian Space Station Module Delivery Delayed Again