Tim Furniss/LONDON
Completion of the International Space Station (ISS) could be delayed again due to Russia's lack of resources. With the next major element of the station being provided by Russia, the Docking Module is unlikely to be ready for its late June launch.
Russian space company Energia has started final testing of the Docking Module, but it needs $1 million from the Russian Space and Aviation Agency to complete development of a propulsion module to manoeuvre the craft to the ISS. The Docking Module, which will be attached to the Zvezda service unit, will provide another port for arriving spacecraft and will also include an EVA airlock. The craft will also provide a third EVA suit and the second Strela deployable boom for external assembly work.
Two other major Russian components for the ISS have already been stalled by a lack of funds. The Science Power Platform, which would provide solar panels, radiators and a robot arm; and a larger universal Docking Module are both unlikely to meet their mid-2002 launch date. Energia hopes private development funding can be sourced from western partners.
Despite money problems, Russia plans seven satellite launches in the next three months. A Progress M ferry will be launched to the ISS on 20 February from Baikonur. The same day a Start booster launches Sweden's Odin satellite from Svobodny. A Proton M will launch the Ekran M communications satellite on 16 March from Baikonur.
Another Progress will fly to the ISS on 12 April, while on 30 April, a manned Soyuz TM will fly to the ISS carrying Mir Corp's Citizen Explorer Dennis Tito. A Proton will launch a PanAmSat in April, while a Cosmos military satellite will also be launched.
In late January the Progress M1-5 unmanned tanker craft successfully docked to the Mir space station and the departing Progress M43 re-entered the atmosphere prior to the controlled de-orbiting and re-entry of Mir on 6 March. M1-5 carries 2,677kg of propellants for the Mir de-orbit burns. Russian President Vladimir Putin has told the government that it is in danger of squandering the heritage of its space programme. Only 40% of the country's 1999/ 2000 space plans were implemented due to a lack of resources.Source: Flight International
