A new module has arrived at the ISS.
After years of waiting, the 4,000 kilogram Prichal docking module has docked to the Russian part of the ISS. It launched on a Soyuz-2 rocket on November 24th and docked with the ISS earlier today. The launch took place at Baikonur Cosmodrome and the docking took place over Ukraine. [1]
This large ball-shaped module has 6 docking ports and will make it much easier for multiple Russian spacecraft to dock with the ISS. The module docked to the bottom part of the Nauka module. Prichal has been ready for a long time, but has been unable to launch because of delays with the Nauka module, which finally launched earlier in 2021. Since the module doesn't have it's own propulsion system, it was launched attached to a Progress-UM, a variant of the Progress resupply craft. The Progress-UM navigated and docked with the ISS, and will leave the ISS and burn up in the athmosphere in a few weeks. [2]
After a a few spacewalks early next year, the module will be ready to welcome manned Soyuz spacecraft and Progress spacecraft. The module will be very useful in the near future. The Russian space agency has been trying to avoid using the docking port at the rear of the Zvezda module, since some unfixable cracks have been found there. [3]
The Future
Ruscosmos wants to continue expanding their part of the ISS. Many of the current modules, like Zvezda and Zarya have been showing signs of aging and have worked long past their expected lifetimes. They have also talked multiple times about separating their modules from the ISS and building their own space station. Currently, Ruscosmos plans to launch a new module, the Science and Power module (NEM-1) to the ISS around 2026. This module would dock to the Prichal module [4]
Nauka and Zarya, and many of the modules that were on the Mir space station are based loosely on the TKS-spacecraft, which was designed in the 1960's. NEM-1 would break this pattern and would be a totally different design. At the front of the module there will be a large pressurized section where science can be performed. At the other end there will be a unpressurized section where experiments can be exposed to space and two large wings containing solar panels. [5] The module looks kind of similar to the Chinese Mengtian and Wentian laboratories. Which will launch next year to the Tiangong space station. Ruscosmos has also considered launching a tourist module with a design similar to NEM-1. [6]
So in conclusion, Russia is expanding their part of the ISS, and has plans to make it even bigger. Even if the ISS is deorbited, Nauka and Prichal are capable of operating in space all on their own as a small station. I hope that the Russian government can give Ruscosmos enough money to expand its legacy in space and remain a space power.
Thanks for reading this blog article. The "The Future" segment was very hard to research. If you have any more questions about anything related to the Russian space program, then I would recommend visiting Russianspaceweb.com.
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