Russia has "let down" its partners in the International Space Station (ISS) by failing to deliver components on time, according to Yuri Koptev, director of the Russian Space Agency. He admits that, because the Zarya module was designated as the first element and Russia was late delivering it, this was the "basis for delaying everything else".
Koptev adds, however: "I think, in the near future, as soon as we complete our obligations on the service module, delayed from July to at least September, it will become clear that we are not the only ones with delays."
Delays have been incurred by Boeing, including production of the Node modules. Both Nodes 1 and 2 had to be reconfigured after failing pressure testing and only the Node 1 - the Unity - flew, in December 1998.
Contracts for further Nodes, including a new Node 2, went to Italy's Alenia Aerospazio.
These and other delays have been relatively unpublicised, while NASA has been able to blame Russia for delaying the ISS with late shipments, first of the Zarya control module, launched in November 1998, and then of the Service Module.
Some NASA executives admit privately that the Service Module delay may extend to as late as December, in which case two Shuttle launches planned for this year, after the Module's delivery in orbit, will be pushed into 2000.
Alenia, meanwhile, will build two cupolas for the ISS under a contract from the European Space Agency. The cupolas will be provided to NASA in exchange for Space Shuttle transportation of European equipment and experiments for the ISS.
The cupola resembles a glass-domed control tower, or observation deck, that will enable crew to manoeuvre the Canadian ISS Remote Manipulator System, and allow for work and leisure-time earth observation.
Alenia is also supplying three Multipurpose Logistics Modules. Italian NASA mission specialist Umberto Guidoni will be first European to visit the ISS, on Space Shuttle STS102 in April 2000.
Source: Flight International
