ISS - Expedition 65 Mission patch.
July 29, 2021
Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) "Nauka" arrival at ISS. Image Credit: ROSCOSMOS
Following the docking of the Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM), named Nauka, to the International Space Station at 9:29 am EDT, Russian cosmonauts aboard the space station conducted leak checks between Nauka and the service module. At 12:45 pm, the flight control team noticed the unplanned firing of MLM thrusters that caused the station to move out of orientation. Ground teams have regained attitude control and the motion of the space station is stable.
Image above: July 29, 2021: International Space Station Configuration. Three spaceships are docked at the space station including the SpaceX Crew Dragon and Russia’s Soyuz MS-18 crew ship and ISS Progress 78 resupply ship. The new Nauka Multipurpose Logistics Module (MLM) is now attached to the Zvezda service module’s Earth-facing port. Image Credit: NASA.
The crew was never and is not in any danger, and flight controllers in Mission Control Houston are monitoring the status of the space station. Teams are also monitoring the impact to tomorrow’s launch of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
Update on the Nauka module
Update to NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Mission
Boeing CST-100 Starliner. Animation Credit: Boeing
NASA and Boeing have decided to stand down from Friday’s launch attempt of the agency’s Orbital Flight Test-2 mission. Currently, launch teams are assessing the next available opportunity. The move allows the International Space Station team time to continue working checkouts of the newly arrived Roscosmos’ Nauka module and to ensure the station will be ready for Starliner’s arrival.
Related article:
New Module Successfully Docks to Space Station
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2021/07/new-module-successfully-docks-to-space.html
Related links:
Expedition 65: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition65/index.html
International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Images (mentioned), Video, Text, Credits: NASA/Norah Moran/Dan Huot/NASA TV/SciNews.
Best regards, Orbiter.ch