July 23, 2021

On July 21, 2021 at 14:58:24.938 UTC, the Proton-M carrier rocket launched with the Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module from pad No. 39 of Site 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. According to the received telemetry information, all stages of the launch vehicle flight (separation of stages and nose fairing jettison) were nominal.

The Proton-M launch vehicle injected the Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module into low-earth orbit with the following parameters:

  • Apogee altitude: 375.5 km;
  • perigee altitude: 199.0 km;
  • Orbit inclination: 51.6 degrees;
  • Orbital period: 89.96 minutes.

In accordance with the flight sequence, 580.3 seconds after the liftoff, the space head unit separated from the third stage of the carrier. Further rendezvous with the International Space Station is carried out using the Nauka module own engines. The module will reach the ISS in 8 days. Docking to the Zvezda module is scheduled for July 29, 2021 at 13:26 UTC.

The Proton-M launch vehicle has been manufactured at the Khrunichev Center (part of Roscosmos) and used to launch payloads into target orbits and departure trajectories within the federal and commercial programs since 2001. Over the years of operation, the Proton-M rocket saw four phases of deep modernization, significantly improving its energy-mass and environmental characteristics when injecting heavy single and twin payloads. Today’s launch was the 425th for the Proton rocket and 111th for the upgraded version of the launch vehicle.

Nauka is a multipurpose laboratory module for the Russian segment of the International Space Station. It was created by the cooperation of enterprises in order to implement the program of scientific experiments and expand the functionality of the Russian segment of the ISS. After its commissioning, the Russian segment will receive additional volumes for the arrangement of workplaces and storage of goods, placement of equipment for the regeneration of water and oxygen.

Module purpose:

  • Docking of Progress MS cargo spacecraft, Soyuz MS crewed spacecraft and the Prichal nodal module;
  • roll control of the International Space Station;
  • receiving fuel from the Progress MS cargo spacecraft, storing it and transferring it to the tanks of the Zvezda module for performing dynamic operations: adjusting the orbit, attitude and stabilization of the ISS;
  • storage of cargo delivered for the Russian segment of the ISS;
  • ensuring the functioning of the European manipulator ERA;
  • functioning of a complex of target loads for the scientific and applied research program with increased comfort of the crew;
  • oxygen production to meet the needs of a crew of up to six;
  • the functioning of an airlock to work with target loads, also involving the European Robotic Arm manipulator;
  • functioning of the on-board workshop and a cabin for the third crew member of the Russian segment of the ISS, as well as ensuring the waste collection system operation with a water regenerating system.
More from this category:
September 25, 2018

On September 25, 2018, the main and backup crews of the «Soyuz MS-10» spacecraft  arrived at the Baikonur cosmodrome for the final stages of flight…

full story
July 9, 2019

Today, on July 9, 2019, the “Proton-M” launch vehicle with the Russian “Spectrum-RG” observatory was delivered to the launch complex of the site № 81…

full story
February 2, 2015

At 15.31, Moscow time, February 01, 2015, rocket and space industry launching crews of Baikonur spaceport successfully launched Proton-M booster with Briz-M upper stage and…

full story
August 20, 2014

According to the working schedule of Guiana Space Centre today is the last preparation day before the launch of Soyuz-ST-B booster with Fregat-MT upper stage…

full story
March 23, 2022

The S.P. Korolev manned spacecraft (Soyuz MS-21) carrying the crew of the ISS-67 Expedition to the International Space Station docked to Node Module Prichal of…

full story
July 2, 2013

Previous week two assigned ISS crews made up of Alexander Samokutyaev, Elena Serova, Barry Wilmore and Anton Shkaplerov , Samantha Cristoforetti, Terry Werst had their…

full story
August 11, 2020

An echelon with a new module of the Russian segment of the International Space Station was sent on the night of August 11, 2020 from…

full story
March 6, 2020

Ahead of the ISS-63 crews are complex examination exercises. Before cosmonauts and astronauts need to undergo a typical flight day training. This is a “test…

full story