Tim Furniss/LONDON
Russia's International Space Station (ISS) Service Module was rolled out at RSC Energia's factory in Moscow on 26 April for its shipment to the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The Module is most likely to be launched in November, almost two years behind schedule. Russia says it is aiming for a September flight, but will not finalise the launch date until August. Privately, however, it admits that budget difficulties are likely to delay the flight (Flight International, 21-27 April).
The ISS assembly schedule, with the exception of the logistics flight to be launched by the Space Shuttle on 20 May, cannot be confirmed until the Service Module is in orbit. The $320 million module will allow the first resident crew to operate on the ISS next year. The Service Module will dock with the US Node Unity which is attached at its other end to the Russian Zarya control module. The Unity and Zarya have been docked in orbit since December.
The Service Module will provide living quarters, life support systems, propulsion, flight control systems and electrical power distribution. The module comprises 50 major systems, 4,100 individual units and 3,500 electrical cables, says the Russian Space Agency (RSA). Its design is based on a typical Mir space station module.
Because the Service Module has been delayed largely due to budget difficulties, Russia continues to rankle NASA with its decision to keep the Mir in orbit until next year. On 24 April, the orbit was raised to 338km, the first of five planned burns to raise it further. The following manoeuvres have been given the go-ahead, says the Russian Space Agency.
Energia, which has the rights to commercialise Mir operations, says that, after the present crew returns in mid-year, the station will not be de-orbited, but will be kept in space, perhaps unmanned, for possible commercial use. If necessary, Energia will take out loans to keep the station in orbit while looking for investors, it says.
The RSA, although it admits to failing to meet the original schedule, says that once the Service Module is in orbit the pressure will be on the USA to meet its commitments with a tight schedule for Shuttle assembly missions next year.
NASA, meanwhile, is concerned that the NATO action in the Balkans, which has been condemned by Moscow, could make relations between the two countries' space teams difficult. The RSA says that the Yugoslavian conflict has not caused it to change its plans for the ISS.
Source: Flight International
