The long-delayed Russian module for the International space platform is about to be finally launched this month, but the date has been pushed back several days, the top of the country’s space corporation said Thursday.
Roscosmos director Dmitry Rogozin said on Twitter that the Nauka (Science) module is now scheduled to be launched from the Russian launch facility in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on July 21. the subsequent two days could function as reserve dates for the launch.
Russian space officials had earlier said that the launch previously set for July 15 was postponed due to the necessity to repair some unspecified flaws.
The launch of Nauka, also called Multipurpose Laboratory Module, has been repeatedly delayed due to technical problems.
It was initially scheduled to travel up in 2007. In 2013, experts found contamination in its equipment, leading to an extended and dear replacement. Other Nauka systems also underwent modernization or repairs.
The 20-metric-ton module is about to be put to orbit by a Proton-M booster. It’s intended to supply Russian astronauts onboard the space outpost with their own room and capacity for lab research.
