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Russian space lab pushes ISS off course

July 30, 2021

Thrusters on the Nauka science lab fired "inadvertently", NASA said, prompting a delay to another planned launch. The situation was remedied in 47 minutes.

https://p.dw.com/p/3yIJ3
The Nauka module is seen prior to docking with the International Space Station on Thursday
NASA is trying to find out what caused Nauka thrusters to fire after docking with the ISSImage: Roscosmos Space Agency Press Service/AP/picture alliance

A Russian science lab knocked the International Space Station out of position after docking on Thursday when its thrusters malfunctioned. 

The Nauka science module had docked with the ISS after an eight day journey from the Russian launch site in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

NASA technicians said they had "a pretty exciting hour" trying to return the space station with its seven astronauts to its original position for 47 minutes.

What went wrong?

NASA said thrusters on the Nauka science lab fired "inadvertently," a few hours after it had docked at the ISS.

It caused the station to move 45 degrees out of position, which is essential for solar panels to work and communications with Earth to carry on uninterrupted.

For a few minutes communications with ground control stopped working twice.

The Russian Space Agency Roscosmos launched the Proton-M carrier rocket with the Nauka (Science) multifunctional laboratory module
The Nauka space module leaves Earth for space from a launch site in KazakhstanImage: picture alliance/dpa/Sputnik

NASA then used thrusters on other Russian modules to return the space station to its proper position.

"We haven't noticed any damage," space station program manager Joel Montalbano said. "There was no immediate danger at anytime to the crew.''

NASA said it was still working out what caused the malfunction, which was not felt by the crew at the time.

What were its consequences?

The incident caused the launch of a Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule, planned for Friday, to be delayed.

Due for blastoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the US module to be added to the space station would have been transported by a Boeing Lockheed Martin Corp Atlas V rocket.

NASA now expects to launch the Starliner capsule on August 3 or 4.

"We wanted to make sure we had some breathing room to fully assess the situation on station before adding another vehicle to the ISS configuration," Kathy Lueders, an associate NASA administrator said on Thursday.

The 20 metric ton Nauka module is replacing the retired Pirs module which was removed from the station recently. It will be used for scientific research and as extra living quarters thanks to its independent life support system.

jc/msh (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)