Status: 07/30/2021 9:10 a.m.
The Russian module “Nauka” is primarily intended to offer the crew of the International Space Station ISS space for research. After its docking maneuver at the ISS, however, it initially caused a moment of shock.
Initially, the docking maneuver of the “Nauka” research module with the International Space Station was completely normal. But when the connection was established, the engines of the module fired “accidentally and unexpectedly” and shifted the ISS by 45 degrees from its regular trajectory, as the US space agency NASA announced on Twitter.
NASA: “No danger to the crew”
An emergency operation was immediately initiated at an altitude of around 400 kilometers, during which the ISS was returned to its regular trajectory, it said. There was no danger to the crew. The ISS and all systems on board were functioning normally. However, NASA lost control of the station’s position in space for almost an hour. Contact with the crew was also broken for eleven minutes. It is unclear why the engines of the module suddenly ignited after successful coupling.
Again and again delays with “Nauka”
The research module “Nauka” (German: Science) of the Russian space agency Roskosmos was launched eight days ago with a rocket from the Baikonur spaceport. The 20-ton construction is primarily intended for research, but is also intended to serve as a crew quarters with their own life support systems. “Nauka” was supposed to have been part of the ISS since 2007, but there were always delays.
NASA postpones rocket launch
The incident after the “Nauka” docking maneuver resulted in NASA indefinitely postponing the launch of a Boeing “Starliner” spacecraft to the ISS. The unmanned test flight should take off today and create the basis for the “Starliner” to be able to bring astronauts to the space station in the future.
The USA is already behind schedule with the “Starliner” program. During the first test in December 2019, the spaceship did not make it into orbit and to the ISS, among other things because of a problem with the automatic ignition of the drives. The renewed postponement gives the team of the International Space Station time to continue tests on the newly arrived “Nauka” module and to ensure that the station is ready for the “Starliner” arrival, it said.